Biography
Polaris formed as an Australian metalcore band whose music blends progressive metal, post-rock, and electronicore textures while addressing personal struggles with anxiety, depression, and loss. The Sydney group first surfaced in 2017 via the widely praised Mortal Coil, which, like its 2020 follow-up The Death of Me, received an ARIA nomination for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album. Their 2023 release Fatalism channeled the intense emotional turmoil the members experienced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drummer Daniel Furnari and guitarist/vocalist Jake Steinhauser launched the project in 2012. Guitarist Rick Schneider, vocalist Jamie Hails, keyboardist James West, and bassist Matt Steinhauser soon completed the roster. West and Matt Steinhauser exited in 2013, prompting Jake to assume bass duties so he could concentrate on singing. The independent debut EP Dichotomy appeared that November, the same year guitarist Ryan Siew joined. A second EP, The Guilt & the Grief, surfaced in 2016 and drew interest from Sharp Tone, the Nuclear Blast subsidiary that issued the band’s first full-length, Mortal Coil, in 2017. The album’s dynamic sound and candid exploration of mental-health challenges earned strong praise and an ARIA nomination for Best Hard Rock Album in 2018. Two years later the group delivered its second album, The Death of Me, which likewise earned an ARIA nod.
During pandemic lockdowns the members worked remotely to shape material for a third album. Fatalism, which examined the social fractures that followed the crisis, arrived in September 2023 only months after guitarist Ryan Siew died on June 19 at age 26.
Drummer Daniel Furnari and guitarist/vocalist Jake Steinhauser launched the project in 2012. Guitarist Rick Schneider, vocalist Jamie Hails, keyboardist James West, and bassist Matt Steinhauser soon completed the roster. West and Matt Steinhauser exited in 2013, prompting Jake to assume bass duties so he could concentrate on singing. The independent debut EP Dichotomy appeared that November, the same year guitarist Ryan Siew joined. A second EP, The Guilt & the Grief, surfaced in 2016 and drew interest from Sharp Tone, the Nuclear Blast subsidiary that issued the band’s first full-length, Mortal Coil, in 2017. The album’s dynamic sound and candid exploration of mental-health challenges earned strong praise and an ARIA nomination for Best Hard Rock Album in 2018. Two years later the group delivered its second album, The Death of Me, which likewise earned an ARIA nod.
During pandemic lockdowns the members worked remotely to shape material for a third album. Fatalism, which examined the social fractures that followed the crisis, arrived in September 2023 only months after guitarist Ryan Siew died on June 19 at age 26.
Albums
Singles
