Polaris Addresses Album and Tour Plans Following Death of Guitarist Ryan Siew

Following the unexpected death of their guitarist Ryan Siew, Polaris has taken some time to determine their next steps and plans as a band.

Siew passed away the morning of Monday, June 19 at the age of 26. He joined the band in 2013, becoming their lead guitarist after Rick Shneider, who had been with the group since they began in 2012, switched from lead to rhythm guitar. According to Loudwire, after the news of Siew’s passing, the band made the decision to cancel the remaining dates of their European tour in order to grieve.

The group has recently conveyed their commitment to stay together and is currently discussing the schedule for their next appearance, along with their plans for their recently finished album, according to Loudwire.

Polaris revealed their decision to release their Fatalism album on schedule, keeping the same September 1 release date. They also shared their intent to head back on the road in Australia and North America for shows in September and October. Here is their full statement:

Dear friends,

After much consideration, in the face of everything we are dealing with, we have decided to proceed with our upcoming plans. This means our new album FATALISM will still be released on September 1. This is the last set of complete songs that we wrote together with Ryan, and though the circumstances of their release are now framed by this tragedy, the meaning of the songs and the love we have for them has not changed. We are incredibly proud of this record and looking forward to sharing it with you, and now more than ever we hope that you connect with it.

The Fatalism Australian & North American tours will be going ahead as planned. Please note that the Brisbane & Newcastle shows of the AU tour have already sold out. We also have another short set of international dates that were booked several months ago, which we will be announcing very shortly. These shows were always going to be special to us, but now they come with a different weight. Playing these shows will not be easy… It will be different. It will be beautiful & bittersweet. But this is what we love most, and right now we choose to put our faith in the healing power of art and community. We want to do this for ourselves, for you, and for Ryan. We hope to see you there.

With love,

Polaris

While on their Australian tour, the band will be joined by August Burns Red, Kublai Khan TX, and Currents. For their U.S. tour, they will be joined by Currents, Varials, and Paledusk.

[Loudwire] [Twitter: Polaris]