This is Norma Jean's only release with guitarist Phillip Farris and the last with bassist John Finnegan and drummer Clayton Holyoak.

With the departure of guitarist Chris Day in 2015, Polar Similar is the first Norma Jean album to not feature any original members.

The album was recorded in January 2016 at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, where artists such as Nirvana, Failure, P.J.

[11] "1,000,000 Watts" is one of only a few songs by the band containing profanity in the lyrics, something controversial amongst the Christian music scene, with its use of the word "fuck" towards the end.

The video, directed by Anthony Altamura, shows the band performing the song in a dimly lit room along with footage of people in abusive relationships.