The Bestiary
September 19, 2025
Hard Rock / Rock / Doom Metal / Heavy Metal / Stoner Rock
CASTLE RAT IS: Riley Pinkerton: The Rat Queen, Lead Vocals/Guitar Franco Vittore: The Count, Lead Guitar Charley Ruddell: The Plague Doctor, Bass Josh Strmic: The Druid, Drums Emerging from New York's vile, creature-infested underground, fantasy heavy metal purveyors CASTLE RAT have announced their impending sophomore album "The Bestiary", to be released on September 19th by King Volume Records (North America) and Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/Europe). 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. Recorded by Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) and mixed by Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), the band's latest odyssey features 13 spellbinding tracks of epic carnage and mystical metal. Commenting on the album, The Rat Queen states: “‘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.” With the record's announcement, CASTLE RAT have unveiled plans for "The Book of Beasts Tour" in late summer in support of the release. The band is currently an extensive European tour that includes appearances at Hellfest, Mystic Festival, Copenhell, Desertfest, and more.
