Celtica - Pipes Rock is an Austrian band founded in Vienna in December 2009 by guitarist and composer Gajus Stappen. The group blends Scottish Great Highland Bagpipes with rock, symphonic metal and Irish folk, and has performed at major Celtic and medieval festivals across Europe and North America. Their sixth studio album, Hunting the Horizon, was released in May 2025.
In December 2025, the band announced a new lineup: violinist Ajda Azocar replaced Ayu Georgieva and David Erharter took over on drums.
On Christmas Eve 2025, a music video for the song 'Ad Astra' from the album Hunting the Horizon was released, filmed in a Baroque orangery in Baden.
In November 2025, the band announced that the original bagpiper Jane Espie would temporarily return in 2026 - for the first time in almost six years.
In May 2025, the sixth studio album Hunting the Horizon (Stringdependent Records) was released, containing 10 original compositions and a cover version of Gary Moore/Nightwish.
In August 2026, the band will perform at the 26th International Bagpipe Festival in Strakonice in the Czech Republic.
