Polaris guitarist Ryan Siew dies at 26, band says, “We will never fill the hole…”

Australian metalcore band Polaris has lost their lead guitarist, Ryan Siew, on June 19, 2023. He was only 26 years old at the time of his passing. The band’s lyrics often dealt with themes of depression and other mental health issues. 

3 things you need to know: 

• Ryan Siew was only 26 years old. 
• Siew was admitted to the hospital in January earlier this year. 
• He said in a post that he had suffered from constant brain fog and lethargy. 

Polaris says farewell to Ryan Siew

The Australian band took to social media and shared their gref while announcing the death of Ryan Siew. The remaining band members Daniel, Jake, Jamie and Rick, detailed their journey of 10 years with the metal guitarist, and said that he was ‘funny and brave and creative.’ They also said that he loved art, food, Harry Potter, crime documentaries, psychological thrillers, and most importantly, music. Their collective statement, however, did not detail a cause of death. See the post below.

(Polaris members Jamie Hails, guitarist Rick Schneider, bassist/clean vocalist Jake Steinhauser and drummer Daniel Furnari announced the death of Ryan Siew)

Siew’s comments on his personal health

Previously in January, the Polaris guitarist had shared a picture of himself admitted to a hospital. He had said that while he’d dealt with a number of health scares, he had started working on the best version of himself. Moreover, he informed his followers that he was no longer taking anti-depressants, and was not experiencing brain fog or lethargy. 

(Ryan Siew shared a picture of himself while being admitted to a hospital earlier this year in January)

Siew had joined the band in 2013, only a year after its inception. He recorded for their lead album The Mortal Coil (2017) and their subsequent outing, The Death of Me (2020). He had also played on their third and upcoming studio album Fatalism, which will release on September 1, 2023.