“Weightless, weightless I disappear.”
Consistently captivating throughout their decade-long tenure atop the British post-hardcore pedestal, Polar for quite some time went by undeniably powerful and brimming with potential, yet largely unnoticed by the mainstream masses. Finally, the band found deserved fame within the esteemed halls of Arising Empire with fourth LP Nova in 2019, and a future of greatness and well-warranted recognition awaited.
Like with many of their contemporaries, however, Polar’s presence was regrettably consumed by a destructive, ill-fated global pandemic, and that all-but-certain future soon became clouded and confusing. What exactly was Polar up to during the lockdowns? Were we ever going to receive a follow-up to their strongest offering to date in Nova? Fortunately, 2022 held just the answers we sought, with a number of singles teasing their upcoming album, Everywhere, Everything.
Opening track “Winds Of Change” is a remarkable return to form for the Guildford-based quartet. The song’s intro is marked by pulsating pads and enigmatic guitars, whilst the vocal performance by frontman Adam Woodford and backing-vocalist/guitarist Fabian Lomas lends depth and character: “Are we momentarily passing, blowing around on the winds of change? / Is there really anything to fear, of the short time that we’re here?” The clean vocals here add a daring dynamic that has rarely been present in prior Polar songs, with a warmth reminiscent of Sam Carter’s gentler vocals.
On the note of vocals, Polar utilise long-term peer Ellie Price of Signals to great lengths throughout Everywhere, Everything, further deepening and diversifying the listening experience in a genuinely emotive fashion — just check out her harmonies on latest single “Rush”.
Next, a tremendous trilogy of tracks allows Everywhere, Everything to transition flawlessly through its opening phase — “Burn”, “Gods and Heathens” and the eponymously-titled “Everywhere, Everything” all offer up unique listening experiences whilst remaining unfalteringly consistent in quality.
“Burn” is visceral and vicious, unforgivingly aggressive, and a true treat for those — like me — who fell for Polar’s signature blend of modern metalcore melodicism and punishing post-hardcore. The percussio takes the cake on “Burn”, with blistering blast beats delivered by drummer Noah See. Meanwhile, “Gods and Heathens” explores the abuse of power and how it causes disillusion in our society for an impactful listen: “True crimes laced with gold / Bitter memories left untold.”
“Everywhere, Everything” is my personal favourite from the album’s first half. A much more harmonious, emotive affair than the antecedent tracks, “Everywhere, Everything” brings truly memorable melodic moments, drenched in dystopian atmosphere with glimmers of hope shining through. The layering of Woodford’s awe-inspiring aggressive delivery with enchanting, reverb-soaked cleans in the chorus is to die for, and the instrumentation carries tremendous weight. Lyrically, this is one of Polar’s most powerful songs in their entire career: “Your essence, your nature / My sweet surrender / Oh, how I wish you could be like me / Always be everywhere, everything.”
As the first single taken from Everywhere, Everything, “Dissolve Me” faultlessly fulfils its purpose of appealing to OG fans whilst advancing on the artistic development of Nova. Harkening back to the days of Shadowed By Vultures and No Cure No Saviour, “Dissolve Me” is a combative, crushing track replete with gutsy guitar riffwork and a hefty low end by Lomas and bassist, Gav Thane, whilst simultaneously showcasing Woodford’s ever-improving vocal range.
Lastly is track ten, “Baptism Of Fire”. Now, Polar have released an incredible collection of belters since their formation in 2009 — “Black Days”, “Our Legacy”, “Until the Light” and “Cradle” just to name a few — but Everywhere, Everything’s closer instantly became my most beloved Polar track upon just one listen. After over one-hundred spins since, I can safely say that “Baptism Of Fire” is this band’s magnum opus. Here’s why.
Somber and sobering, fragile ambient guitars open “Baptism Of Fire”, before thunderous drums and soaring guitars swing into motion. Treating us to those terrific cleans for one last time, Polar leave their most emotive lyrics till last: “Seek to find myself / But instead I feel like somebody else / My heart is hollow like the house that we call home”. For those battling with low confidence and imposter syndrome, “Baptism Of Fire” is endearingly relatable and, in its chorus especially, unapologetically uplifting.
“When there’s no one here / I am still here / I will rebuild, I will rebuild / When the air is thin / I am still breathing / I will rebuild” speaks so much to me on a personal level, and if this wasn’t enough, Woodford and Lomas once again join forces to deliver some truly hard-hitting, tattoo-worthy lyrics: “We’re all broken / That’s how the light gets in.” The unity in the vocal production at this very moment feels so ridiculously satisfying — it’s as if the album itself is proudly saying, “Yep, this is me, this is exactly what I’m about. Deal with it.” “Baptism Of Fire” is impassioned, impassably beautiful and wonderfully woven in such a personal, heart-rending way. This is how you close an album.
In conclusion, Polar have set the bar for 2023 high above mountains many would consider unscalable. Serene, stirring and soulful, Everywhere, Everything is a magnificent metalcore marvel well worth experiencing, especially with standout songs “Everywhere, Everything” and “Baptism Of Fire”. It brings me the utmost joy to see a homegrown act persevering the way Polar have, and Everywhere, Everything is just about the best possible example of hard work paying off. Bravo.
9/10
Everywhere, Everything by Polar will be released this Friday, 13th January 2023, via Arising Empire.