New York’s medieval doom metallers Castle Rat premiere new music video for »Dragon«; North American tour starts next month!
Photo by Peter Beste
New York’s fantasy heavy metal purveyors Castle Rat premiere new music video for »Dragon« taken from their second full-length album, »The Bestiary«, out on September 19th, 2025 via King Volume Records and Blues Funeral Recordings.
»The Bestiary« is available for streaming on all major digital services!
Medieval doom metallers Castle Rat have lifted the wraps off their newest music video offering, »Dragon«. That song appears on the band’s latest album »The Bestiary«. This visual component for it was directed by the band’s vocalist/guitarist Riley Pinkerton.
Castle Rat is a medieval fantasy heavy 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.” Along their journey, Castle Rat have played in support of Monolord (SE), Acid King (CA), Green Lung (UK), and appeared at festivals included Desertfest NYC, RPM Fest and Hopsmoker, among others.
Since their pre-plague inception in October 2019, they 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. The band has cultivated a 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.
2025 began with an explosive start. 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.
»The Bestiary« out now on King Volume Records (USA) and Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/Europe)
Summer Reign continues with the following dates:
12.08.2026 Dinkelsbühl, DE | Summer Breeze
13.08.2026 Merinthal, DE | Hoflärm Festival
15.08.2026 Eindhoven, NL | Dynamo Metal Festival
16.08.2026 Carhaix, FR | Motocultor
North American tour with Unto Others & Wraith Knight:
09/23 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
09/25 Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
09/26 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
09/28 Dallas, TX – The Studio at The Bomb Factory
09/30 Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theater
10/01 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco
10/03 Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre
10/06 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
10/07 Seattle, WA – The Showbox Market
10/09 Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
10/10 Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
10/11 Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand
10/12 Denver, CO – The Ogden Theatre
10/14 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
10/15 Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall
10/16 Detroit, MI – The Majestic Theatre
10/17 Toronto, ON – The Opera House
10/19 Montreal, QC – Théâtre Beanfield
10/20 Worcester, MA – The Palladium
10/21 New York, NY – Webster Hall
Tickets at castlerat.com
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well