The Highly Anticipated New Album from CASTLE RAT “The Bestiary,” Coming Sept 19th
Mystical masters of heavy metal CASTLE RAT latest release, The Bestiary will be unleashed on September 19th via King Volume Records (US) and Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/Europe) The new album, recorded by Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) and mixed by Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), features 13 spellbinding tracks of epic carnage and mystical metal
Musically,The Bestiary is a big step in a new direction for the band, collaborating more closely with each other and piecing together ideas more intricately than on previous songs. Highlighted with the new wave of british heavy metal influences; the galloping drum break and harmonized guitar leads were largely inspired by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest
Since their formation in 2019, CASTLE RAT have created a vivid labyrinth of fantasy lore led by “The Rat Queen” (AKA Riley Pinkerton.) Together with “The Count,” “The Plague Doctor” and “The All-Seeing Druid,” the group has carried out countless battles against “The Rat Reaperess” with riffs, swords and spells on stages across the country. With the release of The Bestiary and upcoming tour the band looks to build on the momentum created by early singles Wizard, Wolf I and Serpent
2025 began with an explosive start for the riff lords. Castle Rat launched a record-breaking Kickstarter to fund their second album, fully funding the campaign in just 37 minutes. The month-long fundraiser went on to be the most successful metal Kickstarter in over a decade, closing out at $139K. Just days after the campaign, the band entered the studio to record their second album with producer Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk). Following two sold out tours in late 2024, the band undertook a headlining US tour in March 2025, with a six week stint in Europe featuring numerous festival appearances—including Desertfest, Hellfest, and Copenhell.
With the release of The Bestiary, CASTLE RAT looks to continue the growth of their fiercely loyal following by curating a riveting, interactive, lore-laden live performance, complete with a choreographed battle scene, recruiting fans who crave swords & sorcery; stoner & doom; battle-babes & beasts; Frazetta & Sabbath.
The Rat Queen says:
“The Bestiary’ is a conceptual book of beasts containing a collection of mystical creatures from a world forgotten. The last remaining souls of each have been gathered and preserved by ‘The Wizard.’ Cautionary tales of each beast and The Wizard himself are woven through the power of traditional heavy metal song and spell.”
Splice Magazine says about The Bestiary, “The album has a very fresh take on classic metal that has been missing in the genre for some time. The story telling and theatrics are the right amount of over the top to be brilliant.”
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The Bestiary Tracklist:
1. PHOENIX I
2. WOLF I
3. WIZARD
4. SIREN
5. UNICORN
6. PATH OF MOSS
7. CRYSTAL CAVE
8. SERPENT
9. WOLF II
10. DRAGON
11. SUMMONING SPELL
12. SUN SONG
13. PHOENIX II
Since the band’s pre-plague inception in October 2019, Castle Rat have released their debut album, “Into The Realm,” with King Volume Records in April 2024, which has racked up over one million Spotify streams and held the post as the #1 Best-Selling Hard Rock/All Rock Album on Bandcamp upon its release.
CASTLE RAT North American Tour Dates:
Sep 4 – Kingston, NY – Assembly
Sep 5 – Boston, MA – Sonia
Sep 6 – Elizabethtown, NY – Otis
Sep 7 – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar
Sep 8 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Sep 9 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
Sep 10 – Chicago, IL – Reggies
Sep 12 – Kansas City, MO – The Ship
Sep 13 – Colorado Springs, CO – What’s Left Fest
Sep 14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
Sep 16 – Seattle, WA – Clockout Lounge
Sep 17 – Portland, OR – Star Theater
Sep 18 – Austin, TX – Fantastic Fest
Sep 20 – Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone
Sep 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
Sep 22 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
Sep 23 – Phoenix, AZ – Last Exit
Sep 24 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister
Sep 26 – Austin, TX – Levitation
Sep 27 – Houston, TX – Last Concert
Sep 28 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa
Sep 30 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Oct 1 – Asheville, NC – Eulogy
Oct 2 – Raleigh, NC – Chapel of Bones
Oct 3 – Charlottesville, VA – Southern Cafe
Oct 4 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
Oct 5 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsbur
Castle Rat is a Medieval Fantasy Doom Metal band hailing from NYC, led by “The Rat Queen,” Riley Pinkerton, on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. On her mission to expand and defend “The Realm” from those who seek to destroy it, The Rat Queen is joined by “The Count” (Franco Vittore), on lead guitar and backing vocals; “The Plague Doctor” (Charley Ruddell), on bass; and “The All-Seeing Druid” (Joshua Strmic) on drums. Together they face the relentless wrath of their archnemesis: Death, Herself — “The Rat Reaperess.”