The hardcore scene is mourning the loss of one of its own.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Bo Lueders, the guitarist for Chicago-based band Harm's Way, has died at the age of 38.
The news was confirmed on Thursday, sending shockwaves through the community he helped shape both on and off the stage.
Lueders was also widely known as the co-host of the HardLore Podcast, which he ran alongside Twitching Tongues' Colin Young. His passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the hardcore world.
Hardcore Guitarist Dies as Tributes Pour In
On Thursday, April 2, statements shared on the Harm's Way and HardLore social media accounts confirmed the tragic news.
"It is with heavy, broken hearts that we share that our beloved Bo Lueders has passed away," the statement said.
"He will be remembered for his unwavering empathy and compassion for his friends & family and his magnetic, inimitable presence on & off the stage."
The message also asked for "grace and privacy as we navigate this extremely difficult time," before concluding with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, 988.
Lueders co-founded HardLore: Stories From Tour in 2022 alongside Young. What began as a platform to share touring stories quickly evolved into a widely respected podcast, featuring conversations with musicians, wrestlers, and key figures from the scene.
In 2024, the duo expanded their vision further by launching HardLore Records.
Legacy Extends Beyond Music Into Community
Young led the tributes on Thursday, sharing an emotional message in honor of his longtime friend and collaborator.
"I am writing this in hopes that it reaches you in some way cosmically," he wrote on Instagram. "I will love, mourn, and celebrate you forever. "
"This beautiful thing we built together was the greatest honor of my life, and my only solace is knowing that we documented a lifetime of memories, at first to share with the world, but now to look back on and preserve your warm, kind soul forever."
Young ended the post saying "Every song is about you now. Let's do it all again in the next life."
Lueders was a founding member of Harm's Way, formed in 2006. Initially a side project, the band grew into a full-time act and built a loyal following within the hardcore and metalcore scenes.
Over the years, Harm's Way released five studio albums, beginning with Reality Approaches in 2009 and most recently Common Suffering in 2023.
The band toured internationally in November 2025, performing three shows across Japan in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.
