It is undeniable that Polaris dominated 2020 with one of the biggest album releases of the past year. Their album, ‘The Death Of Me’ signified a much-needed revitalization of what it means to create an album with not only a strong reliance on vocals and instrumentals but the feats of storytelling and emotion to convey their messages. As a metalcore act, Polaris has continually pushed the envelope as to what is acceptable, and has convincingly altered the parameters of their genre flawlessly. This is no different when reflecting on their rediscovered ‘The Death of Me’ track, ‘Vagabond’.
‘Vagabond’ is an explosive track that finds itself centered within the album. Regardless, it stands alone as an almighty, and all-powerful anthem that constantly shifts the dynamics in order to create a layered song that plunges beyond face value.
This track also holds the namesake of the album; “And all that keeps me sane and whole will be the death of me”- something that held significance upon its initial release, but has now skyrocketed into an essential mark of Polaris’ journey. After being cooped up due to the pandemic, Polaris is hitting the road to “see the world”- or more specifically, Australia’s east coast. This regional tour, taking place throughout June, sees the band visiting some local and intimate venues with fellow Aussie legends, Deadlights- a shift from their large-scale album tour!
“It's turned out to be kind of ironic that the lyrics of “Vagabond” mention this idea that “nowhere feels like home”, which was originally a reference to constantly being on the move when we were touring... But after the last year of being unable to tour and travel, there were a lot of times when our actual homes didn’t really feel like home either, because where we really wanted to be was out travelling the world and playing shows! We are so psyched to finally shake the rust off and get back on the road after what will have been 16 months away from doing what we love most. We’ll be hitting some of those little pockets of the East Coast that we don’t get out to as often, as well as some spots that we’ve never been out to before." says drummer Daniel Furnari.
Of course, the Vagabond tour was announced in the most dramatic of ways; none other than an intense, apocalyptic-like music video. Submerged in the essence of films such as Mad Max, Dune, and Priscilla, the ‘Vagabond’ music video draws upon the harsh surrounding environment to create the same struggle, uncertainty, and pleading we find within the track. Fighting the winds, intense heat, and military planes present on the day, Polaris has presented a visual work that not only does justice to the track, but stands alone as a stunning visual feat for the band that only intensifies their creative passion and vision.
“This video has been a long time in the making, and is probably the most ambitious visual project we’ve ever worked on… there was also a desire to show off the beautiful Australian landscape we’re lucky enough to call our backyard - a landscape that had recently been ravaged by a very long and intense bushfire season. Over the months that followed, a series of lockdowns, interstate travel restrictions, and wild weather conditions all created complications for us. But between us and our friends Kez Ellis-Jones and Chris Elder, who worked on the video with us, we adapted and kept pushing ahead because we were all determined to see it brought to life. We had a lot of fun getting heavily into the concept with the outfits we put together to create our own little post-apocalyptic cinematic world." explains vocalist/bassist, Jake Steinhauser.
Truly, ‘Vagabond’ has marked a momentous occasion for Polaris and fans alike- exploring a dramatically dynamic sound, fostering an awe-inspiring visual journey, and most exciting of all, motivating an intimate setting for a regional tour!
Remaining Tickets available at polarisaus.com.au
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