Victorian band APES have confirmed that bassist Sam Reale has passed away.
The Ballarat-founded group released a statement on Wednesday night, announcing that Reale passed last week.
"He was the absolute heart and soul of everything we embodied," the statement reads.
"He approached music in the same way he approached life. With love & passion.
"Sam’s ability to help someone believe in themselves, even when they couldn’t see it, might have been among one of his greatest gifts.
"Things will never be the same without you. Beyond being a band mate. You were a brother and a friend.
"We will cherish the time we were lucky enough to have all shared together."
Read the full post below.
After dropping their first EP, Helluva, in 2013, APES toured with the likes of The Darkness and Manchester Orchestra before releasing their debut album, Stranger Than Strangers, in 2017.
