Ryan Siew, guitarist for metalcore band Polaris, dies at 26
The metalcore community is mourning the loss of one of their own.
Ryan Siew, the lead guitarist for the Australian band Polaris, died on June 19, according to a post on Instagram shared by the group. He was 26.
Since the debut of their first album, “The Mortal Coil,” Polaris has gained recognition for its songs, including “Consume” and “Crooked Path,” about mental health, including anxiety and depression. The band was touring their latest album “Fatalism” across Europe this summer until earlier this month when they announced on June 20 that they were canceling the rest of their shows due to a “serious personal crisis.”
In the June 28 Instagram post announcing Siew’s death, the band described their late bandmate as an artist who “loved music” and “spoke its language in ways that only the rarest among us do.”
“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,” the post reads in part. “For 10 incredible years, he was our best friend and artistic soulmate. Those years will never be enough. He was kindhearted and clever, he was funny and brave and creative, and he was talented beyond all measure.”
“Our hearts are with his family first and foremost, but also with all those whose lives he touched,” the post continued. “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.”
“May you be at peace,” the post ends and is signed off by the guitarist’s fellow bandmates: Jamie Hails, Daniel Furnari, Rick Schneider and Jake Steinhauser.
Fans of the guitarist expressed their sadness over the news in the comment section of the post with words of support and black heart emojis.
“This is utterly heartbreaking,” one user replied. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Ryan was just as kind as he was immensely talented. My condolences to Ryan’s family and friends. May he rest in peace.”
“RIP legend <3,” another replied.
Siew’s cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Earlier this year, in January, Siew shared a post on Instagram with a photograph of himself lying in a hospital bed. At the time, Siew shared that he’d experienced a “few health scares” that were “quite sobering.”
“For as long as I can remember, I’m happy to say I’m no longer on any antidepressants,” he wrote in the early portion of his post’s caption. “No longer living with the constant brain fog and lethargy.”
The guitarist apologized to his followers for “being silent,” leaving many of them “in the dark.”
“I think I’m back on track to be the best version of myself,” he wrote. “I’m learning new things, growing and I’m most importantly recovering.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
