The time has come for metalcore legends, Polaris, to bring their highly anticipated Fatalism tour to the UK and we are more than ready. With an absolute monster of a three-support lineup, us Manchester metalheads are in for a treat.
First up on the stage is a band that may have slightly encouraged me more into coming tonight, I love Polaris, don’t get me wrong but these guys… these guys are next level; Paledusk.
The first time I saw them was back at a little metal festival last year, it had been a long day and I wasn’t going to photograph them but I thought no, let’s do it. I arrived in the pit and the second the guys walked out on stage, I was met with full-blown chaos. So tonight, I already knew what type of mentalness (yes, I just made this word up) was going to hit us and it was going to be crazy.
Paledusk, hailing from Fukuoka, Japan, is here to rip this stage to shreds. Walking out to an intro of Lose Yourself by Eminem blasting through the speakers, this was the calm before the storm. I’d say it lasted maybe ten seconds before we were greeted with spin kicks, jumps, and reels; these guys are absolutely insane. The energy was simply incredible, you could feel the love these guys had for what they do and, quite frankly, they belong on the stage.
Their set was short but definitely left us wanting more. With the likes of BLACK ICE, PALEHELL and SLAY!!, these guys were the perfect band to have as the first opener. They had the crowd up moving and singing in no time at all. Paledusk never fails to amaze me and they are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Up next are Melbourne metal heads, Thornhill.
Again, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the Aussie lads before at a fest last year and their crowd was hands down one of the best. It was clear that Thornhill fans are dedicated and, well, they bloody love this band.
Tonight, they put on a stellar show. Everything was nailed down to perfection; these guys know how to perform. Vocalist, Jacob Charlton, has this aura about him that just screams rock star. Maybe it’s the hair, maybe it’s the clothes, either way, Charlton knows about precision and how to be the face of a band with such high caliber.
Kicking it off with Views From the Sun, the band's energy soars through the room as the crowd erupts. Another band that is, quite simply, made for the stage. This carefully crafted set was one like no other. Each member of the band vibed in their respected spot as their tight musicianship soared.
Obsession, Casanova, and clear fan favourite "Where We Go When We Die" were just three of the incredible songs we were treated to tonight. I don’t know about you but I could sit and watch these guys play all day. Absolutely incredible!
Third and final support is up next and we’ve got Californian metalcore band, Silent Planet.
Now from start to finish, these guys are a non-stop assault of the senses, with insane riffs, raw vocals, and just an ambiance of pure awesomeness; this was a sensational set. You can clearly see that the band put their all into what they do, the love just oozes from them. The passion, the emotion, everything is executed to perfection and the fans love it. Opening their set with "Offworlder," the place erupts. Already tonight I have seen an awful lot of Silent Planet t-shirts being worn around the venue and after speaking to some other photographers, SP is a big hit and this crowd proves it.
Vocalist, Garrett Russell, is simply captivating in the way he performs, the pure emotion he displays is unlike any other. His connection with the audience is palpable, you could say the best part of any show is being lucky enough to see and feel the love the band has for their fans and vice versa.
Moving onto "Euphoria", "Panic Room" and the closing song "Trilogy," not once was there a moment where each member of Silent Planet didn’t pour their heart and soul into every second. Not to mention the mosh pits and crowd surfers, now that was a show in its own.
As the set comes to an end, it’s safe to say that all three support bands absolutely smashed it and prepared us well for the main men tonight.
Finally, the time has come for the titans that are Polaris to take the stage.
Now if there’s any band that can take our expectations and absolutely beyond exceed them, it’s these guys. I’ve seen them once before and it was a show I will never forget. As they arrive on stage, they are met with an electrifying response from the crowd (and myself). After already catching a glimpse at the setlist, I knew we were going to be in for a Fatalism treat.
Diving straight into it with Harbinger, the place erupted. Vocalist, Jamie Hails, was quickly drowned out by the sound of the audience singing their hearts out. We were only a couple of seconds in and it already felt like an unreal moment. The visceral energy surged right through into the mosh pit as bodies came flying over the barrier; it was pure hectic. Polaris have the crowd in the palm of their hands.
Up next is my favourite and clearly everyone’s favourite, Nightmare. The newly released track meets with a rapturous response and is the absolute perfect fit in tonight’s set. This performance was an united and sentimental one with a side of chaos and adrenaline. Something that was nice to see was the bare minimal use of phones. Hardly anyone out there tonight was watching through a screen, they were fully living in the moment and that is exactly what a Polaris gig does. The way the band commands the room is admirable and quite frankly, mesmerizing.
Arguably one of their best-written tracks, "Hypermania" was up next and boy did the crowd go crazy, even more than they already were. This song always had the potential to be absolutely incredible live and it certainly was, just like every song on the setlist, performed with absolute perfection. We were also treated to the likes of "Lucid", "Landmine", "Masochist", and "Inhumane" which were all certifiable bangers and definitely raised the temperatures in the o2 Ritz tonight (I was indeed very sweaty).
As we approached the encore, you could tell this crowd did not want to leave the night behind, we wanted Polaris 24/7, shoved in a box and taken home with us. But all good things must come to an end and it’s safe to say, the ending was euphoric. "Pray for Rain" and "The Remedy" made up tonight’s impeccable encore, it was indescribably beautiful.
Polaris is simply one of Australia’s finest, they smash it out of the park every single time, leaving us wanting more. They destroyed the Ritz tonight with no remorse and we absolutely loved it.
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