There are bands that plan for years, grind in the underground, and wait for that one break. Then there are bands like Carpathia PH, who formed not out of ambition, but out of a shared itch to play music again—musicians once active, now “napaglipasan” or resting in creative hibernation, who found their way back not through some grand design, but through jamming.

“It actually started lang talaga as jamming,” one of the members shares through a casual Google Doc interview. “Halos lahat kami dito mga musikerong napaglipasan na, or mga inactive lang.”

From that spontaneous reunion of passion and talent came something a little more permanent. The core began with Paul, Niks, and Rona. The chemistry clicked. Before long, the project evolved into a full band. “Then hanggang sa nagtuloy-tuloy, ayun, binuo na namin ‘yung banda at nag-commit na.”

Welcome to the story of Carpathia PH: a band born from a love of music rekindled and a name that speaks volumes.

The Ship That Answered the Call

The name Carpathia wasn’t just randomly pulled out of a hat or AI name generator. It has weight, and as Niks—the brain behind the name—explains, RMS Carpathia was the ship that responded to the Titanic’s distress call. “Si Carpathia na dapat pupunta ng UK, eee nagkaroon ng sudden change of plans para iligtas ‘yung mga survivors.”

A sudden change of plans—there’s something poetic about that. Much like how this band formed: an unexpected detour that turned into a mission. A rescue of creative selves, a revival of sound.

The Sound: Rock, Sweet, Chill

Asked to describe their sound in three words, they went with: Rock. Sweet. Chill.

“Rock kasi may mga kanta kaming Gazey sounding so maingay talaga tapos may mga Punk Rock pa. Sweet is meron din kaming sweet lyrics kahit maingay ‘yung song. Then Chill is meron kaming British Indie Rock na mga song na parang pang-roadtrip.”

In short, Carpathia isn’t the type to box themselves in. Their sonic identity is a little bit of everything: a layered, textured collage of genre fragments that all come together in a sound that’s theirs.

Influences, Writing, and the Studio Vibe

It’s easy to assume Carpathia’s genre—Rockgaze, as they call it—was a deliberate choice. But really, it was a compromise born out of wildly different influences.

“Actually ‘yung genre mixes na ‘yun kasi ng mga influences namin,” they admit. “Iba-iba kami ng influences. Si Nik, pure metal. Paul is indie and blues. Si Rona, indie and punk. Si Nate naman, more on Paramore at Christian songs for church.”

So how do they make it work? Collaboration, for one. They admit there’s usually one lyricist per song, but the arrangement process is where the magic happens: “Dun na kami nag-ci-critical thinking.”

And when they’re in the studio? Chill lang.

“Hindi kami tense, and ‘yung parang may hinahabol na deadline. Gusto lang namin makuha ‘yung vibe ng kanta.”

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Gears, Growth, and Gigs

Carpathia debuted live in March 2024 with their song Lost in the Moment—a gig they treated not as a breakthrough, but as a detox.

“Nag-try kaming mag-gig last March para patanggal lang ng kalawang at i-debut live ang isa sa mga song namin,” they share, alluding to the itch to perform and the desire to finally bring their sound out of rehearsal rooms and onto a stage.

That same song holds special meaning for Paul. “Siguro ‘yung Lost in the Moment, kasi para sakin lang ahh… di siya mahirap talaga, oo. Pero nag-transition kasi ako from bassist to lead guitarist, tapos original song pa ‘to. So ayun, nahirapan ako gumawa ng melody. Sila Niks, Nate at Rona, parang easy lang. Hahaha.”

And when asked what gear he can’t live without?

“Overdrive. Klon Style na Overdrive to be exact. It gives me my signature sound.”

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Women in Rock, Covers, and Character

Carpathia may not be a band of flashy personas, but each member brings a distinct flavor to the table. Rona, the band’s vocalist, faces the usual challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated genre.

But instead of backing away, she owns the space.

Nate dreams of doing a cover song with a signature Carpathia twist. Though he didn’t drop a specific title, you can sense his quiet confidence that whatever song they pick—it’s going to sound like them.

As for Niks, the exercise was simple: describe each bandmate in one word. Unfortunately, the answer wasn’t included in the doc—but that’s probably because summing up complex people in a word isn’t really the Carpathia way.

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Behind the Chat Threads and Late Nights

Like all bands, Carpathia has its behind-the-scenes quirks.

Sino ang pinaka maingay sa group chat? “Si Paul.”
Laging late sa practice? “Si Paul din.”
Laging gutom? “Si Niks.”
Pabibo sa stage? “Rona.”

That last part makes sense—fronting a band isn’t just about hitting the right notes, it’s also about holding the stage with grace and presence.

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Tampuhan, Day Jobs, and Alternate Realities

Bands fight. It’s part of the creative equation. But Carpathia handles disagreements with clarity.

“Usually we talk about it as a band. Kung may issue, sinasabi agad. Then we listen. That’s it.”

And if music hadn’t called them back?

“Kung hindi kami musicians, baka office workers na kami lahat ngayon,” they laugh. “Or may kanya-kanyang small business.”

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What’s Next?

Carpathia PH may be new, but they’re not rookies. They’ve seen the scene, stepped away from it, and now they’re stepping back in on their own terms. No rush, no pressure. Just music.

From that first jam session to their debut gig, from gear obsessions to shared chat thread chaos, Carpathia is proof that sometimes, all it takes is one sudden change of plans to steer you toward your purpose again.

And just like the ship they were named after, they’ve got a mission now: answer the call, show up for each other, and make music that saves—even if only a little.

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Follow Carpathia PH on social media and catch their single “Lost in the Moment” live whenever they hit the stage again. Stay tuned for their upcoming releases this 2024.