Now they’re gearing up for the release of their debut full-length album ‘The Mortal Coil‘, which will be distributed through Resist Records. Despite the fact that they have a label backing now, they did still piece together the LP in their own way, occupying a space in Mollymook in New South Wales to record with Carson Slovak and Grant MacFarland, a duo that’s worked with scene competitors August Burns Red.
Polaris frontman Jamie Hails referred to the recording process as a great opportunity to “get away. It was almost like a vacation” he laughed, describing regular trips to sit on the rocks and brainstorm lyrics as an escape from the distractions of life in Sydney. Though drummer Daniel Furnari has the best footing to explain the meaning of the words on this record, Hails notes that they did end up playing around “with a lot of stuff, because we wanted to get everything right”.
Though it seems like they did get everything right the first time you listen to this album, there have still been nerves associated with the process of waiting for its release. “I am a little bit nervous about it coming out, yeah”, admits Hails. He isn’t doubting its quality – he describes it as the best that Polaris has got. “It really represents us, who we are as a band”. The reactions to singles ‘Consume’, ‘The Remedy’ and ‘Lucid’ have provided a benchmark for anticipating the likely responses, however. “The reaction so far has been really positive. But…there are still nerves”.
Polaris really do have nothing to worry about, especially with the rallied support they have around them. Their recent stint in states across Australia sold out dates even before ‘The Mortal Coil‘ was released.
“The tour has been amazing so far, and we’ve been touring with some mates, so it’s been great”, Hails notes at the halfway point, just before the Sydney show. “We’re starting next year with UNIFY, which sold out in like five days I think, it’s insane”. They’ll also be hitting up overseas just after the album drops, as well as supporting Parkway Drive next year, so some at-capacity venues in Australia aren’t a bad place to start.
“We’ve always had international support”, Hails flags, “ever since our EP, so it will be great to finally get over there”, he adds, referring to their slot on the ‘Never Say Die’ tour that kicks off this week in Europe, where the band will play alongside Emmure and Chelsea Grin. “We’ve been getting messages from fans there asking us to come over for ages, so it is a great opportunity to finally get over there to see them”.
For a band that has so much future potential, and that already has successes under their belt, it’s interesting to consider what’s next. For Polaris, they’re eyeing off taking America, but apart from that, they’ve somewhat exceeded their own expectations. It is, at its core and at the end of the day, about making and playing music. When asked about whether he thinks their integrity to that mission has something to do with the respect the scene has been paying them, Hails is truthful but modest.
“We just want to make great music that we enjoy”, he affirms. “It’s not about anything else”. They’re not trying to be Drake, and they’re not trying to be Disturbed – they’re just a band that likes making music that they like, and they’ve never pretended to be anything different. That’s what makes them deserve every damn bit of success that they’ve achieved, and it continues to be the reason that Australia is backing these boys.
POLARIS “THE MORTAL COIL” OUT TODAY!
