Watch: Gangtok Band Arogya Turn to Synth Rock on ‘Dark World’

Since 2013, Gangtok’s rock band Arogya have steadily built a following in the North East and in Nepal, with songs like “Mero Maya Ma” climbing up to over 226,000 views on YouTube last year. They showcased metal, rock and more on their 2016 self-titled album, but now things are changing yet again.

Their debut English single “Dark World” presents Arogya as an anthemic synth rock band, led by vocalist Rainjong Lepcha’s distinct range. Lepcha, who also sings for Guwahati metallers Rectified Spirit, says, “The main challenge is to keep it simple yet exciting, dynamic and fresh. We want to create a new sensory experience, strive ahead in the music industry with something different and stretch our musical capabilities but yet not losing the sound we have developed over the years.”

There’s elements of pop, electronica, rock and metal on “Dark World,” set to seemingly eerie goth and steampunk visual aesthetics. Drummer Rui Xing justifies the band singing in English, saying that fans often asked them for English translations to the Nepali lyrics of their previous releases. He adds that even their more socially conscious material which talks about child trafficking, mental health and environmental issues will perhaps reach a wider audience. “We hope to establish a stronger presence abroad by singing in English. Language will no longer be a barrier,” Xing says.

The masks, face gear and outfits seen in the video are now part of Arogya’s focused visual identity, one that the band’s manager Janice Teh calls “cinematic.” The band hints towards a few surprises in store for later this year, in addition to tours in the pipeline. Guitarist Gitartha Goswami adds, “Our current batch of songs in production are all arena /dark synth rock with various melody structures. We are already done with a couple of them and fans can expect a new single sometime in October.”

Watch the video for “Dark World” below.