Popular Australian band Polaris reflects on challenging year and upcoming NQ tour

After a year of triumph and tragedy, heavy Aussie band Polaris are ready to ignite a mosh pit in Townsville during an ambitious regional tour. See when they are playing.

Sydney metalcore band Polaris is ready to light up JCU's Uni Bar with support acts Ocean Grove and Bloom. Picture: Chris Jack.

One of Australia’s leading bands in the heavy music scene, Polaris is ready to cap off a year filled with triumph and tragedy by lighting up a mosh pit in Townsville as part of a regional Australian tour.

Founded in 2012, Polaris is a five-piece metalcore band from Sydney which has gradually built a loyal fanbase off the back of relentless touring, with their last three albums peaking in the top 10 of the ARIA chart.

The band was in the midst of touring Europe last June when they were rocked by the tragic death of their long-time guitarist Ryan Siew, leaving them unsure about the band’s future.

Following discussions between the band and Siew’s family, the band pressed forward to release its third album Fatalism, which received a rousing reception from their fanbase and netted the band its first number one on the charts.

Reflecting on that dark period, the band’s guitarist Rick Schneider said there was “so much sadness tied to it”, but he was grateful that the album celebrating Siew’s final songs had attracted so much positivity.

Sydney metalcore band Polaris is playing an extensive regional Australian tour in June and July. Picture: Chris Jack.

“To have something so sad, but to still have things to celebrate and enjoy within it, is bittersweet, but it is the only thing we can be thankful for,” Schneider said.

Helped by the passing of time, along with family, friends, and crew, the band has a renewed hunger to return to the stage, joined by Windwaker’s lead guitarist Jesse Crofts.

Sharing the stage with Melbourne’s fusion mavericks Ocean Grove and up-and-coming Sydney metalcore outfit Bloom, Polaris will soon embark on a 22 date tour across regional Australia, stopping into James Cook University’s Uni Bar on June 28.

“We’ve been doing regional tours for probably seven or eight years, and in doing that, it’s allowed us to see the different side of it,” Schneider said.

Australian band Polaris perform at Groovin The Moo. Picture: Supplied.

“Sure, we’re not playing to 2000 or 3000 people, but the people that are in these regional places just go absolutely mental and it kind of gives you a different energy that you don’t get from playing a big show.

“It still gives us a lot of excitement and a lot of reason to get out there again.”

Schneider said there were plenty of reasons to get out to the regions, not only to support the fans, but to inspire future music industry participants, and help venues struggling in the current economic climate.

“To be a band like us, which have fortunately had quite a career now, it is cool to be getting out to these places, and really seeing the kind of the effect that we can have,” he said.

“I just hope that more bands do it because these venues and these people in these areas definitely need it.”

For tickets, visit: oztix.com.au.

Originally published as Popular Australian band Polaris reflects on challenging year and upcoming NQ tour