Polar Shift – Interview with Gino Andereggen

We should make music together one day!?

From festival grounds to Greenfield stage, from guitarist to frontman, from first demos to increasingly sophisticated song material Polar Shift have undergone a remarkable evolution in recent years.

The Swiss modern metalcore outfit combine crushing riffs, atmospheric soundscapes and deeply emotional themes to create a sound that is both technically accomplished and highly accessible. With their latest releases, „Unchained“ and „Breathe“, the band is opening an exciting new chapter. In my opinion, they have everything it takes to become the next flagship act of the Swiss modern metalcore scene.

German version

The name Polar Shift itself reflects the band’s philosophy. It refers to the reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field, a profound transformation that alters existing structures and creates new points of orientation. This idea of movement and change is equally reflected in the music of Polar Shift. Ahead of their show with Northlane at KIFF Aarau, Metalinside spoke to vocalist Gino Andereggen about full-circle moments, creative freedom, embracing change and the future of Polar Shift.

Metalinside (Liane): I first saw you live at Vicious Rain’s release show in Baden. I have to say, you completely blew me away. It was an outstanding live performance. Now I’m incredibly excited to see you opening for Northlane. They’re a fantastic band and it’s a great opportunity for you as well. How did that come about?

Gino Andereggen: From my side, honestly, it feels like a real full-circle moment. I never expected it. We were in touch with Martin Hunziker from KIFF, and he approached us with the offer. I’m simply grateful that we were chosen to open such a wonderful evening.

MI: You already played in front of a huge crowd at Greenfield Festival in 2025. Tonight it’s a club show. What does a massive festival stage bring out in you that a small club never could? And what, if anything, gets lost on a bigger stage?

Gino: Standing on Greenfield stage for the first time was obviously something very special. When you’re used to play small and medium-sized clubs and suddenly find yourself performing in front of 20,000 people, it’s an incredible feeling. For me, the most beautiful thing is seeing how music brings together people from all walks of life and being able to share those moments with them. At the same time, festival shows and club shows are completely different experiences. Festivals are impressive, but club shows are far more intimate. People come specifically for that evening, they sing along, they look you straight in the eyes, and afterwards you meet them at the merch stand and have a chat. That kind of connection is very special. I’d say both have their place, and both are fantastic in their own way. 2025 was a hugely important year for us. After winning the Greenfield contest, we had the chance to play the festival and experience our first shows in Germany alongside our friends in Vicious Rain. Experiences like that show you what’s possible and give you an enormous sense of motivation and gratitude. When you invest so much time, passion and hard work into a band, milestones like these are a validation to keep going. They remind you why you do all of this in the first place: for joy, the passion and the love of music. Ultimately, that’s what connects all of us.

MI: So, when did your own journey with music begin?

Gino: It all started when I was 13 and began learning guitar. Over the years I got into increasingly heavier forms of metal, became interested in other instruments and continued to develop musically until I eventually found my way to Polar Shift. The band  has existed since 2020, but I wasn’t part of the band at the time. At Greenfield Festival in 2022, I met the guys on the festival grounds and listened to their first demos. Even back then, I thought the material was incredibly strong. What started as a somewhat joking comment about making music together in a style like Periphery soon became reality. We met up, started writing music together and that’s how this chapter began. What still excites me today is creative freedom. Modern metal allows us to think without boundaries and experiment with heavy riffs, vocals, atmospheric passages and completely different elements as well. That openness is what Polar Shift means to me. The fact that we met at Greenfield Festival in 2022 and then got to stand on that very stage ourselves three years later is a beautiful full-circle moment. It shows just how much is possible when you follow your passion.

MI: It’s interesting that you mention Periphery. While preparing for this interview yesterday and watching your videos, Periphery came to mind for me as well. So did TesseracT and Monuments. You can hear those influences and inspirations.

Gino: I think every band eventually faces the challenge of finding its own identity without denying the influences that shaped it. We’re no different. We’re very open about our inspirations, but at the same time each member brings their own musical voice and ideas into the writing process. What defines Polar Shift is this creative rotation. Ideas get passed around, reshaped and developed by different people. Quite often something completely new emerges because another band member builds upon a small initial concept. That allows our songs to grow organically without us overthinking things too much. Of course, bands such as Monuments, TesseracT, Loathe, Thornhill and Sleep Token have had a significant impact on the way we perceive music. But our goal isn’t to imitate anyone. It’s about creating something of our own together. In the end, we believe music can only truly connect with people if it moves us first. That’s why we embrace openness, creativity and the courage to experiment. This approach has worked very well for us and continues to shape Polar Shift’s evolution today.

MI: Speaking of evolution, that’s also a central theme of your new single „Unchained“, which was released this summer, isn’t it? There has also been a major change within the band itself, as you moved from guitar duties to taking over as frontman.

Gino: Change is part of life, and sometimes it’s part of being in a band as well. The line-up change was obviously a significant moment for us. When our former vocalist left, we were faced with the question of where to go next. Following Greenfield Festival and the new opportunities that had opened up, the guys approached me and asked whether I would consider taking over vocal duties. It wasn’t something I had actively pursued. I’ve always enjoyed singing and recording vocals, but becoming a frontman was never a major ambition of mine. Still, I found the challenge exciting and decided to embrace it. That sense of change is also reflected in „Unchained“. To me, the song is about personal growth and leaving behind older versions of yourself in order to evolve. It’s not tied to one specific event, but rather to the challenges and transformations that life inevitably brings. The biggest challenge was finding a way to express myself honestly through the lyrics while creating something that other people could connect with as well. Authenticity was extremely important to me. I never wanted to write anything that felt artificial or forced. I was fortunate to have tremendous support from our producer and my vocal coach, both of whom guided me musically and lyrically throughout the process. That collaboration, along with stepping outside my comfort zone, helped me grow enormously as both a musician and a vocalist. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for this development. It helped me rediscover my appreciation for music and allowed us as a band to move forward into the next chapter with conviction, heart and passion.

MI: „Unchained“ feels very personal to me. Would you like to elaborate on the lyrics a little more?

Gino: While „Unchained“ was inspired by a break-up, at its core it’s about something much more universal. It’s about not losing yourself, whether that’s in a relationship, a friendship or any other situation life throws at you.

Through that experience, I realized how important it is to continuously reflect on yourself and keep growing, while staying true to your own values. Sometimes we allow ourselves to be shaped too much by the expectations or perceptions of others and lose sight of who we really are. The message behind „Unchained“ is therefore about recognizing your own potential, standing up for yourself and having the courage to set boundaries. Not against others, but for yourself. You shouldn’t hold yourself back or give yourself up simply to please other people. Everyone has their own strengths and individuality. The song is a reminder not to lose those qualities and to have the courage to follow your own path.

MI: So, what does that path look like for Polar Shift moving forward? Can you share any plans with us?

Gino: Right now, our focus is on writing the honest and best music possible, music that truly represents who we are, and sharing it with the world. The experiences of the last few years have raised our standards, but ultimately our most important task is still to create authentic music and use that as a foundation for new opportunities. We’re also benefiting from our collaboration with management, who help us recognize the right opportunities and keep our focus sharp. Soon, we want to release new music consistently and showcase how Polar Shift has evolved. The new material contains more heart, more personality and more vulnerability than anything we’ve done before. Whether that eventually becomes an album or an EP remains to be seen. Now, we’re concentrating on releasing strong singles, demonstrating our musical range and maintaining momentum. Our goal is to keep growing, open new doors and earn the opportunity, step by step, to one day stand on the biggest stages in the world.

MI: The Swiss metal scene is producing a lot of outstanding bands. In your opinion, what would need to happen to better support emerging artists?

Gino: To be honest, I’m happy to share my thoughts, but I think that’s a very complex question.

MI: Fair enough. We could probably start writing a novel about it. In that case tonight’s show might have to be cancelled! (laughs)

Gino: Through my work as a musician, sound engineer and in various areas of the music industry, I’ve been able to observe the development of the local scene up close for many years. From my perspective, the pandemic left deep scars. Before COVID, concerts, even in smaller venues, attracted significantly larger audiences, and I was involved in several shows every month. Today, that’s noticeably different. It demonstrates just how much the cultural and live music sectors suffered during that period. Many habits have changed, and smaller venues as well as local bands face greater challenges than they did just a few years ago. I believe the way people consume culture and music has changed dramatically. The pandemic accelerated this shift, as many people became accustomed to experiencing culture digitally. At the same time, there’s now an overwhelming amount of music, events and online content available, making it much harder to capture attention and maintain long-term interest in live music. The challenge, I think, is rebuilding stronger connections between people and live music.

Concerts, clubs and venues are incredibly important because that’s where music is experienced directly and where genuine human connections are formed. That’s why I believe continued support for culture is essential, and why venues need the resources and backing required to survive and thrive. Only when there are enough spaces, infrastructure and opportunities can new bands perform, gain experience and help a scene grow.

Travelling abroad has also shown me how deeply people can identify with bands and concert culture. I’d love to see that same passion continues to flourish within the Swiss music scene. In the end, it’s about making culture accessible and creating conditions that encourage live music and creative projects to thrive.

MI: A perfect closing statement, Gino. Unfortunately, we’ve reached the end of our time, and you need to start getting ready for the show. Thanks so much for the insightful conversation.

Gino: My pleasure. Thank you very, very much. I really enjoyed it.

And the story continues: Although this interview was conducted before its release, Polar Shift have unveiled their new single, „Breathe“, today.

The pictures – Polar Shift Interview (Anna Wirz)

The Video – Polar Shift – Unchained