Just over two years since the release of their breakthrough debut album The Mortal Coil, rising Aussie metalcore stars Polaris are back with an album that shows progress and promise. Within the ten-track release, Polaris explore multiple areas of metal, from classic chuggy hardcore to melodic, production-filled metalcore and a healthy pinch of nu-metal. All of these subgenres are undertaken with expertise and minimal downfalls, conveying this is a diverse and progressive band that won’t be limited to one basic, repetitive sound. Many comparisons can be also drawn to Architects, from the airy production in ‘Martyr (Waves)’ to Jamie Hails’ screamed vocal style in opening track ‘Pray For Rain’. However, these similarities are clearly inflections of inspiration rather than downright plagiarism, as Polaris make them unique in their own right. ‘Masochist’, ‘Above My Head’ and ‘Martyr (Waves)’ all stand out as the strongest tracks. The three not only share incredible transitions from clean to unclean vocals by Hails (who also maintains coherent screams throughout), but also strong, anthemic choruses that fans will be desperate to hear live. The latter track in particular showcases Hails’ range, as well as guitarist Ryan Siew’s melodic ear, lacing a beautiful solo around the rest of the powerful instrumentation. Although, while many songs master the contrasting levels of melodic to raucous, some choruses don’t quite meet the same standards set by others. For example, nu-metal-like track ‘Vagabond’ falls quite flat as its choruses follow on from chaotic verses that require more than what’s offered to keep up the pace. While Polaris have been noted as up-and-comers for a while now, The Death of Me is sure to be the album that pushes them over that edge. Despite having minor flaws, it’s a strong album that’ll keep listeners on their toes wondering where they’ll take their sound next. Score: 9/10 The Death Of Me is released Friday 21st February via SharpTone Records. Polaris will be touring later this Spring alongside Alpha Wolf, Currents and Varials before performing at Slam Dunk Festival. Full dates below.