If you ask me to name the best songs of Polaris, I could talk for hours — this Sydney five-piece (now four, after the heartbreaking loss of guitarist Ryan Siew) has spent over a decade turning anxiety, grief, and defiance into some of the most emotionally resonant metalcore ever recorded. Polaris built their sound on the bones of post-hardcore and progressive metal, then layered in post-rock atmosphere and electronicore texture until it became something distinctly their own. Across three studio albums — The Mortal Coil (2017), The Death of Me (2020), and Fatalism (2023) — the band has never repeated themselves, and picking twenty songs from their catalog means leaving out gems, not filler. So grab your headphones, because this list deserves a proper listen, not background noise.
Consume
“Consume” was the first single off The Mortal Coil, released back in July 2017, and it announced Polaris as a band that understood dynamics as much as aggression. The verses simmer with clean, almost delicate guitar work from Jamie Hails before the chorus detonates into one of the most singable hooks in modern metalcore. What gets me every time is the bridge breakdown — it’s not there to show off technicality, it’s there because the song’s emotional weight demands release. On a good pair of over-ear headphones, the low-end separation in that final breakdown genuinely rewards close listening, and if you’re shopping for gear that can handle this kind of dynamic range, our headphone comparison guide breaks down what actually matters for heavy music.
The Remedy
Released as the second single from The Mortal Coil in August 2017, “The Remedy” leans harder into melody than almost anything else on the record. Jake Steinhauser’s clean vocal delivery carries real vulnerability here, and the way the mix lets his voice breathe against sparse instrumentation before the full band crashes back in is a masterclass in pacing. Lyrically, it wrestles with the idea that healing isn’t linear — a theme Polaris would return to again and again. I still think this track undersells how good Polaris’s clean-vocal writing is, since so much discourse around the band fixates on Hails’s screams.
Lucid
“Lucid” closed out the singles run for The Mortal Coil, dropping in October 2017, and it’s become a fan-favorite opener at live shows for a reason. The riff work here is genuinely intricate, weaving between djent-adjacent syncopation and soaring melodic runs without ever feeling disjointed. Fans on Bandcamp have called this the definitive entry point into the album, and I agree — it’s the song that made me a Polaris believer the first time I heard it blasting through a car stereo on a long night drive. The producers, Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland of Atrium Audio, deserve credit for a mix that keeps every layer distinct even at full volume.
Relapse
Tucked into The Mortal Coil, “Relapse” doesn’t get talked about as much as the singles, but it’s one of the record’s emotional gut-punches. The lyrical content circles addiction and cyclical self-destruction, and the arrangement mirrors that theme — tension building, release, then right back into the loop. Live, this one hits differently; the crowd reaction to the mid-song breakdown is consistently one of the most physical moments of a Polaris set. If you’re the type who catalogs deep cuts, this belongs on your list of essential song picks worth revisiting.
Pray for Rain
Opening The Death of Me in February 2020, “Pray for Rain” immediately signaled a bolder, more atmospheric direction for the band. The intro builds with almost post-rock patience before Hails’s vocals tear through, and that contrast between calm and chaos became a defining Polaris trademark from here on out. One Bandcamp reviewer called it their favorite track on the whole record, and honestly, as an album opener it’s hard to argue — few metalcore bands nail scene-setting this well. The production, handled with engineering from Lance Prenc and mixing by Atrium Audio, gives the low-tuned guitars a weight that feels almost physical on a subwoofer or a solid set of closed-back cans.
Hypermania
Released as a single in January 2020, “Hypermania” is Polaris at their most relentless — short, sharp, and built almost entirely around momentum. There’s less room to breathe here than on most of their catalog, and that’s the point; the song is meant to feel overwhelming, mirroring its title. The vocal interplay between Hails and Steinhauser ping-pongs with real precision, never stepping on itself even as the tempo pushes forward. It’s one of those tracks that works best loud, ideally through earbuds tight enough to isolate the low end from outside noise — something worth considering if you’re comparing options in our earbuds guide.
Masochist
“Masochist” was actually the very first single from The Death of Me, arriving in November 2019, and it set expectations sky-high for the album that followed. Multiple longtime fans have named it their favorite Polaris song outright, and the reasoning tracks — the chorus melody is enormous, practically arena-ready, while the verses stay coiled and tense. There’s a real sense of internal conflict in the lyrics, self-sabotage examined with brutal honesty rather than glamorized. Meanwhile, the breakdown structure here influenced a wave of Australian metalcore acts that followed in Polaris’s wake.
Landmine
The third and final pre-release single from The Death of Me, “Landmine” dropped in February 2020 just before the full album, and it’s built around one of the tightest riff progressions in the band’s discography. The title metaphor — walking on eggshells around someone else’s volatility — gets translated musically through unpredictable rhythmic shifts that keep you slightly off-balance the whole way through. Hails’s screams on this one carry a rawer, more unfiltered edge than elsewhere on the record, which suits the subject matter perfectly. It’s a track that demands attention rather than casual background listening.
Vagabond
“Vagabond” sits in the back half of The Death of Me and leans into a wandering, almost restless energy that matches its title. The guitar interplay between Rick Schneider and the late Ryan Siew is especially notable here, trading melodic phrases that feel conversational rather than competitive. On the other hand, the rhythm section from Daniel Furnari keeps everything grounded even as the melodic elements threaten to drift. It’s a song that rewards patient listeners who let the whole arrangement unfold instead of skipping to the breakdown.
Above My Head
Fans consistently single out “Above My Head” as one of The Death of Me‘s emotional peaks, and one Bandcamp listener flatly called it a banger alongside “Pray for Rain” and “Masochist.” The chorus is enormous — genuinely one of the catchiest things Polaris has ever written — while the verses stay lyrically grounded in themes of mental health and staying afloat. In contrast to the album’s heavier moments, this track proves Polaris can write something that feels almost uplifting without abandoning their identity. Recorded at Mollymook Beach, NSW, the album’s coastal recording setting arguably shows through in the song’s more open, spacious mix.
Martyr (Waves)
“Martyr (Waves)” leans into Polaris’s post-rock DNA more than almost any other track on The Death of Me, with washes of ambient guitar texture framing the heavier sections. The word “waves” in the title isn’t incidental — the song genuinely ebbs and flows dynamically, cresting into huge choruses before pulling back into something contemplative. Thematically, it deals with sacrifice and identity loss, delivered with a vocal performance from Hails that balances aggression with real melodic control. It’s a personal favorite of mine for late-night listening, when the atmospheric layers really get room to breathe.
The Descent
Closing out The Death of Me, “The Descent” functions as the album’s emotional resolution, tying together threads of anxiety and isolation explored throughout the record. As a closer, it doesn’t rush toward a triumphant ending — instead it lingers in ambiguity, which feels true to the album’s largely introspective, pandemic-adjacent themes even though it was written before COVID hit. The instrumentation strips back at points, letting individual elements sit in the mix rather than burying everything under distortion. It’s the kind of closing track that makes you want to immediately start the album over.
Harbinger
Fatalism opens with “Harbinger,” described by the band’s own touring materials as an atmospheric, doom-laden entry point into the 2023 record — and that description is spot on. Daniel Furnari’s lyrics across this album grapple with the universal fear people felt during a period of intense social division, and “Harbinger” sets that tone immediately with foreboding, slow-building instrumentation. Ryan Siew’s guitar work here is some of his final recorded material with the band before his passing in June 2023, which gives the track an added, bittersweet weight in hindsight. Produced by the band alongside Lance Prenc, with Scottie Simpson of Alpha Wolf on vocal recording duties, the track’s mastering gives it real cinematic scale.
Nightmare
Released as the second single from Fatalism in July 2023, “Nightmare” became a genuine breakout moment for the band, landing at number 90 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2023. It was also the first music video Polaris released following Ryan Siew’s death, which lends the anthemic quality the band’s own materials describe to it an even heavier emotional resonance. Musically, the elasticated riff work and Hails’s coruscating vocal delivery make this one of the most immediate, hook-forward tracks on the album. Meanwhile, the production polish here — courtesy of engineer Lance Prenc — gives the chorus a stadium-sized punch that translates beautifully live.
Parasites
“Parasites” sits early in the Fatalism tracklist and brings a more direct, aggressive energy compared to the atmospheric opener before it. The song’s title and lyrical framing suggest themes of toxicity and drain — relationships or influences that slowly consume you — delivered through tight, percussive riff patterns from Rick Schneider. There’s less reliance on melodic clean vocals here than on some Fatalism tracks, keeping the song leaner and more confrontational. It’s a track built for mosh pits rather than headphones, though it still holds up under close listening thanks to Prenc’s crisp mix.
Overflow
The third and final pre-release single from Fatalism, “Overflow” arrived in August 2023 and was described by press coverage at the time as pummeling expectations in the best way. The song balances the record’s heavier tendencies with genuine melodic ambition, particularly in a chorus that expands outward rather than simply repeating a single hook. Thematically, it captures a sense of emotional saturation — being full to the point of breaking — which the arrangement mirrors through layered, almost overwhelming instrumentation in its back half. It’s one of the tracks that best demonstrates how far Polaris’s songwriting had matured by album three.
With Regards
“With Regards” arrives in the middle of Fatalism and takes a more reflective, remorseful lyrical angle than its surrounding tracks. Jake Steinhauser’s bass work is especially present in this mix, giving the low end a rounded warmth that complements the song’s more measured pacing. It doesn’t chase the same anthemic highs as “Nightmare” or “Overflow,” and that restraint is exactly what makes it work — not every song on a great album needs to be the single. Give it a spin on a quiet night rather than in the car, and the writing rewards you.
Inhumane
As the lead single from Fatalism, released in May 2023, “Inhumane” carried the weight of reintroducing Polaris after a nearly three-year gap since The Death of Me. Press at the time called it a belter, and the song backs that up with a chorus built for festival singalongs alongside verses that stay tightly wound and tense. Lyrically, it explores dehumanization and moral erosion, themes that feel unfortunately timeless rather than tied to any single news cycle. It remains one of the most-streamed Polaris tracks on Spotify, and deservedly so.
The Crossfire
Described in the band’s own tour materials as delivering pummeling delights, “The Crossfire” pairs elasticated riff work with some of Jamie Hails’s most coruscating vocal takes on the whole record. The song’s title evokes being caught between opposing forces without a side of your own to stand on, a metaphor that suits the album’s broader themes of social division. Structurally, it doesn’t waste a second — verses, chorus, and breakdown all arrive with real economy, making it one of the tighter compositions on Fatalism. Live, it’s become a setlist staple precisely because it translates so directly to crowd energy.
Dissipate
Announced as the fourth single from Fatalism in May 2024, nearly a year after the album’s release, “Dissipate” got a second life through a live music video filmed at Margaret Court Arena during the album’s Australian tour. That live setting suits the song well — it’s built around a slow-burning intensity that peaks in a way clearly designed for a room full of people losing it together. The decision to release a fourth single so long after the album speaks to how much staying power this track has with the fanbase. If you want to feel the full weight of the arrangement, this is a song best experienced through a proper live recording rather than compressed streaming audio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Polaris’s most popular song?
“Inhumane” and “Nightmare” are generally considered Polaris’s most commercially successful recent tracks, with “Nightmare” charting at number 90 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2023. That said, “Masochist” and “Consume” remain fan favorites from their earlier catalog and consistently show up in longtime listeners’ personal top picks.
Which Polaris album should I start with?
It depends on what you’re looking for. The Mortal Coil (2017) is the leaner, more direct entry point, while The Death of Me (2020) leans more atmospheric and introspective. Fatalism (2023) is the most emotionally weighty of the three, recorded in the shadow of guitarist Ryan Siew’s passing, and many longtime fans consider it the band’s most mature statement.
Is Polaris still an active band?
Yes, Polaris remains active as of 2026, continuing to write, record, and tour following the passing of guitarist Ryan Siew in 2023. The band has performed as a four-piece since his death, honoring his final recorded contributions on Fatalism.
What genre is Polaris?
Polaris is classified as metalcore, with strong elements of progressive metal, post-rock, and electronicore woven throughout their sound. Their genre-blending approach, mixing melodic clean vocals with harsh screams and atmospheric instrumentation, is a big part of what separates them from more one-dimensional metalcore acts.
Where can I find more song recommendations like this?
If this list left you wanting more, our full song roundups section covers everything from metalcore staples to genre-spanning greatest hits lists across the site.