Hear ye, hear ye—CASTLE RAT have emerged from the murky depths of the fantasy-metal swamp with a brand-new incantation! Their latest spell, a single titled “WIZARD”, has officially been cast upon the streaming realms, dragging us all one step deeper into their heavy metal LARP fantasy—and honestly, we’re here for it.
The track is the first peek into their upcoming sophomore album, The Bestiary, which promises to be a 13-track bestial parade of riffs, roars, and enchanted power chords. The album drops September 19th via King Volume Records in the U.S. and Blues Funeral Recordings in Europe—because even wizards need distribution deals.
The accompanying music video for “WIZARD” features the kind of ominous aesthetic you’d expect if Iron Maiden got locked in a Ren Faire after dark. The band calls the track a “big step” forward in their musical evolution. According to bassist Charley Ruddell, also known as “The Plague Doctor” (not a medical professional, in case you were wondering), the song channels classic NWOBHM vibes with galloping drums and harmonized guitar leads in the spirit of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a CASTLE RAT track without a face-melting solo, recorded in one glorious take by “The Count,” clearly possessed by the ghost of Glenn Tipton.
What Even Is CASTLE RAT?
In case you’ve been living under a dragon skull, CASTLE RAT are a self-proclaimed “Medieval Fantasy Heavy Metal” band based in NYC. But really, they’re more like the house band for a D&D campaign that went totally off the rails and ended up at Desertfest.
Led by the ever-regal Rat Queen (Riley Pinkerton), the band includes The Count (Franco Vittore) on lead guitar, The Plague Doctor on bass, and The All-Seeing Druid (Joshua Strmic) on drums. Together, they’ve built a loyal following of fantasy freaks, doom disciples, and sword-swinging stage divers.
Their shows aren’t just concerts—they’re choreographed battle spectacles, complete with monsters, lore, and enough chainmail to make Manowar blush. Their debut album, Into The Realm, dropped in 2024 and racked up over a million Spotify streams, proving there’s definitely a market for medieval metalheads with a flair for pageantry.
Enter The Bestiary
CASTLE RAT’s upcoming album The Bestiary is, in their own words, “a conceptual book of beasts.” Each song tells the tale of some magical, possibly unlicensed fantasy creature whose last known soul was scooped up and immortalized by the ever-mysterious Wizard. Think Pokémon, but darker and with more distortion pedals.
Track titles include “PHOENIX,” “UNICORN,” “DRAGON,” and something called “PATH OF MOSS”—presumably a spiritual guide to festival hygiene. You can almost smell the patchouli.
The album was recorded by Randall Dunn, whose credits include Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, and Björk—so expect the production to be somewhere between crushing doom and experimental elvish opera.
The Realm on the Road
To celebrate the release of The Bestiary, CASTLE RAT will embark on “The Book of Beasts Tour,” an epic North American trek that kicks off in Boston and ends with a triumphant return to Brooklyn—because even medieval heroes need to circle back home for brunch.
They’ll hit 30+ cities, from Toronto to Texas, Los Angeles to Elizabethtown (yes, apparently that’s a real tour stop), and they’ll be summoning beasts, fans, and probably a few Renaissance fair attendees who wandered into the wrong venue.
CASTLE RAT Tour Dates:
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 Williamsburg
One Kickstarter to Rule Them All
Earlier this year, CASTLE RAT didn’t just raise money for their new album—they launched a record-breaking Kickstarter, fully funded in 37 minutes, ultimately raking in $139K. For comparison, that’s more money than it costs to train an actual wizard at a second-tier online university.
Armed with cash and fan devotion, they entered the studio and got to work on The Bestiary. If nothing else, it proves that fantasy metal and modern crowdfunding make for one potent alchemical combo.
So, whether you’re a knight of the riff realm, a beast tamer of the low-end frequencies, or just someone who thinks Iron Maiden needed more druids, CASTLE RAT’s The Bestiary might just be your new holy grail. Or cursed amulet. Either way—it’ll rock.
Let the summoning begin.
