RYAN Siew, the guitarist for the rising Australian metalcore band Polaris, has died at age 26.
The group posted a statement about his passing to their Instagram account on Tuesday, but did not disclose a cause of death.
"For 10 incredible years he was our best friend and artistic soulmate. Those years will never be enough," the band's remaining members Jamie Hails, Rick Schneider, Jake Steinhauser, and Daniel Furnari wrote.
"He was kindhearted 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."
Siew died on Monday, June 19, Loudwire reported.
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This happened just months after the guitarist posted an Instagram photo of himself in a hospital bed.
"I’m happy to say I’m no longer on any anti depressants, no longer living with the constant brain fog and lethargy," he wrote in January.
Last week, Polaris announced that they were cancelling the remaining dates on their European summer tour "due to a serious personal crisis in our family."
In their statement on Tuesday, the band wrote that Siew had a deep love for his fans.
"He was also much admired and beloved by so many," they said.
"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."
The guitarist joined the band in 2013 at age 15.
On Tuesday night, tributes for the musician poured in on social media.
"Your riffs, especially the tapping ones, will always be inspirations to me. Truly one of the best modern metalcore guitarists," one fan tweeted.
"Although I haven’t toured with Ryan, I’ve heard some incredible stories over the years," Ryan O'Leary, the bassist for the metalcore band Fit For a King, wrote.
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"I hope his friends, family and bandmates will be ok."
Polaris released their debut album The Mortal Coil in 2017, which garnered them an Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards nomination for Best Hard Rock album the following year.
They released their second album The Death of Me in 2020.
The band performs a type of rock music called metalcore, which is a fusion of heavy metal and hardcore punk generally defined by its pulsing, rhythmic breakdowns.
Polaris plays a particularly clean, modern take on the genre that's become popular in the underground music scene in recent years.
