Lodestar – Polaris
Release Date: 9th July 2024
Label: Sliptrick Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Gothic Metal, Hard Rock, Doom.
FFO: Cyclic State, Liquid Optimism, Verdant Grey, Binary Order, Hellrune, Resolve to Burn.
Review By: Mark Waight
Polaris is the third, and probably most adventurous studio album to date, from Canadian Gothic Metal band, Lodestar. It melds their previously established Gothic/Doom sound with more traditional Hard Rock threads to create something that is uniquely Lodestar, and a veritable joy on the ears. Add to that some superb orchestral and synth elements, and you have something that truly crosses the multi-genre voids of the Metal universe.
Lodestar is the brainchild of duo Kate Glock (vocals & orchestra arrangements) and Jensen Rodolfo (guitar, bass, drums).
Originally self-released towards the end of 2023 Polaris is more of a re-release than a brand-new recording after Lodestar recently signed to Sliptrick Records. However, this fact should in no way detract from any enjoyment for the listener if, like me, you are still hearing Polaris for the first time.
With its heavy, pounding riff, Shooting Star is an outstanding opening track. The gentle synthesiser undercurrent adds to the depth as Lodestar begin to blaze a trail across the skies. Never Die is a darker song, with the layered vocals of Kate Glock further enhancing the doomy atmosphere as they slowly weave in and out.
The haunting and harrowing Save Me From Fate is beautifully gloomy, with only the harmonious and choral vocals offering a very slight slither of light in the pitch blackness. Slower paced and a little brighter, In This Life offers some hope from the bleakness before the despair returns once more to consume us, whereas In Your Shadow cuts sharply and deeply into your soul with a heavy punching bass line that tears at the very fabric of your being.
Bludgeoning its way into your mind, Distance To Your Light hits you with pure blunt force trauma and power as an excellently mean guitar riff further increases the damage (and your enjoyment). In the War Of The Mind, who is going to win? The pace clocks up and down with a resonating precision as you are drawn into its catchy and quirky web.
Light Of My Life is a much gentler romp altogether with a very modern contemporary theme that simply lifts your spirits up and out from the gloom. It’s an extremely welcome break and distraction from all that has gone before, as well as demonstrating a much softer side to Lodestar that we haven’t previously witnessed.
Taking things down once again, World Of Change is an epic tune of around ten minutes long that showcases everything that Lodestar have to offer. It reaches out across the genre boundaries to connect with the listener at very many different levels. It is everything you would expect and more from an album defining moment, making it more than worthy of the ticket price on its own merits!
Title track Polaris makes a fitting finale as we are played out to the hopes, dreams and wishes of Lodestar for a brighter and rosier future with a sweet and heart cleansing curtain closer that uses angelic vocal harmonies (with an almost pop feel) to leave us on a veritable high.
Polaris is a real credit to Lodestar’s skill, craft and creativity, making it in my opinion worthy of getting plenty of attention and playtime from the Metal fraternity over the coming months. If you are a fan of Gothic, Doom or Traditional Hard Rock then you should seriously consider checking Polaris out and adding it to your playlist when it drops. Lodestar have produced a really solid album here, and I would be happy to recommend Polaris as warranting further investigation.
(4 / 5)
