Band:	Polaris
Album:	Fatalism
Style:	Melodic metalcore
Release date:	September 2023

01. Harbinger
02. Nightmare
03. Parasite
04. Overflow
05. With Regards
06. Inhumane
07. The Crossfire
08. Dissipate
09. Aftertouch
10. Fault Line
11. All In Vain

Not so polarising. 

Following up an album that put their name on many people's radars, Australian metalcore crew Polaris had a tough job on their hands when coming up with Fatalism, given they now had to overcome the added burden of expectation. Polaris may not be re-orientating your radars with Fatalism; they do, however, prove to be more than just a blip on the screen. 

With the tragic news that guitarist Ryan Siew passed away at the age of 26 after the album was recorded, but not yet released, Fatalism serves a tribute to his work, and a poignant reminder of the fragility of life. 

Polaris have the talent within their ranks to take their place amongst the ranks of the best in their genre. Siew's final works have a marked impact on the band, with the guitar work throughout the album being the band's best asset. Fatalism serves as a testament to Siew's talents, with the riffs on "Parasites" and "Inhumane" showing that he may be gone, but how he won't be forgotten. Serving as his foil is vocalist Hails, whose range enables the band to go from the pop punk-influenced "With Regards" to the dark, heavy tones of "The Crossfire". The band certainly have the talent within their ranks, something that shines through on Fatalism. 

What holds Fatalism back, however, is that the band lack the songwriting prowess to match their evident talent. While the songs are enjoyable, they often lack that killer refrain or chorus to stick in your mind, or make you want to sing along. "Nightmare" does a good job of building the launchpad for a killer chorus, but rather than taking the song to new heights, it serves to be somewhat anticlimactic, not jumping out of the speakers like you would expect from a group with this level of talent amongst their ranks. 

Fatalism does have a solid production job behind it, matching the band's ambition in both range and sonics; the heavy "Parasites" is presented just as well as the stripped-down refrains of "Aftertouch". Balancing the subtle electronic elements of tracks alongside their guitar driven attacks, Polaris are presented in a strong light throughout. 

While Fatalism carries the momentum over from The Death Of Me, Polaris are unable to build on it, and take themselves to the next level amongst the frontrunners of the genre. An enjoyable listen, hopefully the band can hone their songwriting skills on their next release, should they decide to carry on.