The Bestiary

The phenomenon CASTLE RAT, pioneer of medieval metal fantasy, unveils The Bestiary: a bewitching album mixing mythical creatures and allegorical stories. Produced by Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Björk) and mixed by Jonathan Nuñez, The Bestiary offers 13 epic titles, between doom, stoner and bewitched universe, inspired by Black Sabbath and Frank Frazetta.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' (Josh Strmic) on drums. Together they face the relentless wrath of their archnemesis: Death, Herself - 'The Rat Reaperess'. Since the band's pre-plagued inception in October 2019, Castle Rat have released their debut album, 'Into The Realm'. 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 and sorcery; stoner and doom; battle-babes and beasts; Frazette and 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). Castle Rat's second full length album, 'The Bestiary', was released in late 2025 and received mass critical acclaim launching the band into unprecedented realms of heavy music.