Polaris / O2 Institute / Birmingham

A trip across the midlands tonight, and a visit to the O2 Institute in Birmingham for the visit of Polaris on their 2024 Fatalism tour, and we’re in store for a truly international lineup !

With four bands tonight, it doesn’t take long after door open for Paledusk to step out onto the stage. From Fukuoka on the Japanese island of Kyushu, Paledusk came onto everyone’s radar in 2020 with the four track EP “Happy Talk”. They describe themselves as progressive metalcore, and they certainly have a brutal sound with the two guitarists hitting out some heavy riffs while performing some of the craziest spins and jumps I’ve seem for some time. They start the set with a fantastic cover of Enimen’s Lose Yourself and the energy levels are off the scale. Their sound certainly is very intense metalcore, with the vocals bringing in elements of rap throughout.

There’s something about Japanese metal, I like. I really enjoyed Ryujin when they supported Pain, and Paledusk were just as good. A cracking start to the night, and I’m sure they made a lot of new fans tonight.

Setlist

Lose Yourself (Eminem cover)

Area PD

Black Ice

Wind Back

Palehell

No!

Rumble

Slay!!

Next up are Australians Thormhill. I first saw Thornhill back in January 2020, when they supported DED and Wage War on their UK tour. Clearly popular with the Birmingham faithful too, the cheers rang out as they headed out onto the stage.

From the last time I saw them four years ago, they have grown in every way, and have become slick, and tight. The performance flew by as they blasted out hit after hit. Vocalist Jacob Carlton has grown as well, and his tone is full and powerful, and even throws in some great guttural, screams too.

Right from the off with Views From The Sun it’s heavy and powerful and the set sees the first surfers of the night as the crowd are lapping it up note after note. My favourite track is the final number Where We Go When We Die which has the crowd singing along in full force.

Setlist

Views From the Sun

Coven

Obsession

Leather Wings

Raw

Casanova

Where We Go When We Die

Only two bands in and already the heat is rising. A quick trip to the bar to grab a cool drink before the final support heads out – Silent Planet, an American metalcore band formed in Azusa, California, back in 2009.

Clearly there are just as many Silent Planet fans in tonight and the atmosphere is hot and sticky. As the lights go down, they spring into action, delivering a heavy and riff laden set. The riffs are definitely at the heavier end of metalcore and vocalist Garrett Russell delivers a stunning performance.

Considering how heavy the sets are and the enthusiastic moshing, there are few surfers tonight, maybe they’re just enjoying the music far too much. The set is just bangin’ with great deliveries of tracks like Collider, Dreamwalker, Antimatter and Native Blood. Rock solid, all the elements are linked up perfectly.

Silent Planet were exceptional. If they had been headlingin, I’d have gone home now happy !

Setlist

Offworlder

Collider

Panopticon

Euphoria

Dreamwalker

Antimatter

Panic Room

:Signal:

Anunnaki

Native Blood

Trilogy

Finally, its time for the headliners Polaris, an Australian metalcore band from Sydney, New South Wales. The band consists of Jamie Hails (vocals), Rick Schneider (guitar), Jake Steinhauser (bass & vocals) and Daniel Furnari (drums). Polaris are up there with the very best from Australia alongside The Amity Affliction and Parkway Drive, delivering a set of incredibly aggressive and brutal and yet somehow very accessible metalcore.

Bassist Jake Steinhauser delivers some incredible clean vocals which are the perfect juxtaposition to the harsh tones from frontman Jamie Hails, and Rock lays down some just dirty riffs to create a wall of sound.

Polaris is a band that has had to cope with more than their fair share of trauma with the 2023 passing of guitarist Ryan Siew. Only a few months later they released their latest album “Fatalism” and tonight’s setlist has 7 tracks from that album. Although an energetic set, it’s clearly an emotional tour for the band as well. Tracks such as With Regards and All of This Is Fleeting are delivered with passion and the audience react with cheers and shouted out lyrics at every opportunity. The performance is flawless, and Daniel’s drumming is incredible, pounding out some ferocious beats, pulling the tracks together.

For the encore we go back to Pray for Rain from “The Death of Me” album in 2020, and finally The Remedy from “The Mortal Coil” released in 2017. By now the crowd are bouncing.

Despite everything Polaris have been through in recent times, they showed tonight that they remain one of the best. Walking back to the car, I can’t help but think that perhaps the best is still yet to come…..

Setlist

Harbinger

Nightmare

Hypermania

With Regards

Lucid

All of This Is Fleeting

Landmine

Overflow

Martyr (Waves)

Parasites

Dissipate