Polar‘s forthcoming EP signifies a move from releasing via a traditional label and instead, the band have teamed up with Drop Dead Clothing, well known for their connections to the alternative music scene. While this isn’t Drop Dead’s first time releasing material from a heavier band – they did a bundle with Architects a couple of years ago – the brand has been focusing on showcasing a wider variety of genres in recent times, featuring acts like Draper and Louie Knuxx. This return to something heavier is an excellent move for Drop Dead – not only is it reconnecting with the culture that the brand was borne out of, but it also means that a lot more people are going to rightly fall in love with Polar.
Inspire Create Destroy is just three tracks long, consisting of ‘Inspire’, ‘Create’ and ‘Destroy’. Clever, innit? ‘Inspire’ instantly commands your attention, opening with some heavy distortion and some powerful riffs. Woody’s vocals consistently have the perfect tone for this kind of music; at times, it even sounds like he’s screaming two notes at once, creating a deeply textured and ferocious effect. This especially comes into play with the central lyric, ‘lose faith in everything – trust no one’, and holds a great deal of power. If ‘Inspire’ is the vanguard of this EP, then ‘Create’ is the ensuing battlecry as the rest of the units rush in to decimate the other side. A thrilling and perfectly crafted song, Polar give it all they’ve got. They know when to pull out the melody, they know when to throw down. The level of musicianship on show here (and really, throughout the whole record) is nothing short of phenomenal. In the dead centre of the EP, Polar break into a gang cry of ‘Inspire! Create! Destroy’. This mantra sums up Polar’s intent in the UK alternative scene perfectly; in time, Polar will no doubt come to inspire a great deal of young musicians, they create some of the most daring and powerful music, and they’ll destroy anything that’ll stand in their way. ‘Destroy’ is slower paced than the previous tracks, but if anything, this amplifies its message and allows for those beautiful guitar lines to come through loud and clear. It’s impossible to listen to this without throwing up a Judd Nelson style fist pump at the end.
To put it simply, Inspire Create Destroy is a masterclass in melodic hardcore. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon are dominating the airwaves at the moment and with this EP, Polar have the potential to come out swinging at the forefront of the UK alternative scene. Polar inject a sense of grandeur into their music that transcends further than the pit, and combined with their explosive live show, this EP should make them huge. And deservedly so.
5 out of 5 high fives!