Polaris - The Mortal Coil

This album took a very long time to sink in for me. I had known of them for a while and had heard so much praise for them but even after hearing this album for the first time, it just didn't sink in. I had heard one of their songs several years before where they took a more Northlane-like approach of atmospheric metalcore but this album was more hardcore-driven standard metalcore. However, one day, it just clicked for me. I gave it another listen and it was like my ears and heart were suddenly opened to what this album had to offer.The Mortal Coil is an album about the daily struggles of a human. From the energetic and fierce "Lucid" which addresses the attempt to fight temptation to emotionally heavy tracks like "The Slow Decay" which talks about realizing the bigger picture, this album absolutely nails the emotion in metalcore without feeling emo, even though it has clean vocals that come pretty close to being of the emo variety without crossing the line.One thing you'll immediately notice is the stunning ferocity of frontman Jamie Hails. His screams are powerful to an absurd degree, with a certain edge and style to them that has become a signature of this band. In the music videos, the dude goes wild and he does the same in live performances. It's clear that he understands what it means to use music to communicate emotion.Musically, this album does tend to lean heavily into the hardcore side (not as much as their second full-length did) but they still have a certain atmosphere to their music as well as impeccable production that creates a great overall vibe. It feels both old school in the sense that it has a lot of early 2010s metalcore elements but it also has some new aspects and an unbeatable energy that ties it all together. It also doesn't hurt that the band really knows how to work together, creating impeccable performances in every single song.When I listen to this album, I just feel every emotion I can. I honestly don't know exactly how to describe it but it's like it's reaching into the depths of my being and helping me to realize that pain in this life will have a purpose even if I don't feel it right away. The overall lyrical themes tend to be strikingly positive/uplifting but in a way that still leaves room for discussion about the harder things in life.Altogether, The Mortal Coil is a phenomenal album that honestly needs to be experienced. A review will never be able to describe everything that makes this album so fantastic.