Australian metalcore band Polaris has shared that their lead guitarist, Ryan Siew, has passed away. Siew passed away sometime in the morning of Monday, June 19th, 2023. No further details like the reason of death has been disclosed until now.
Siew was just 26 and had spent almost the last decade in the band and has been featured on most all released material the band has put out, outside Dichotomy EP which was released before Siew joined the band.
Polaris last performed on June 18 at Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium, albeit without Siew. Two days later, on June 20, the group announced that, "due to a serious personal crisis in our family," that they would not be playing the remaining dates of their European tour, specifying which shows fans can still expect them to perform.
It is now known that Siew passed away the day prior to this announcement.
The statement from the band is as followed:
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"It is with shattered hearts & the deepest sorrow that we tell you our dear brother and bandmate Ryan Siew passed away on the morning of Monday June 19. He was 26 years old, and for 10 incredible years he was our best friend and artistic soulmate. Those years will never be enough. He was kind hearted and clever, he was funny and brave and creative, and he was talented beyond all measure. He loved art, and beauty in all its forms. He loved great food in great company. He loved Harry Potter and psych-thrillers and crime documentaries. He loved music, more diversely than you could ever imagine, and spoke its language in ways that only the rarest among us do. And most of all, he loved & adored his family & friends. He was also much admired and beloved by so many. Ryan, we will love and miss you for the rest of our days, and we will never fill the hole that you leave in all of our lives.
Our hearts are with his family first and foremost, but also with all those whose lives he touched. We ask that you please respect the wishes of Ryan's family for privacy at this time, and likewise that you give us, our team and family the space to grieve & attempt to heal from this immeasurable loss. We know that you will be grieving with us and that we, and our community, will hold each other through this."