Castle Rat’s The Bestiary conjures epic doom steeped in medieval fantasy, where towering riffs, mythical lore, and a commanding voice turn the album into a living grimoire of sound.
There are bands that play doom metal, and then there are bands that inhabit it. Castle Rat doesn’t just write songs. They summon a world, stone by stone, riff by riff, banner raised high against a storm-lit sky. Their new album, The Bestiary, moves with the weight of ancient iron, steeped in myth, ritual, and a sense of grandeur that feels both timeless and dangerous.
There are different kinds of music, not by genre, but by how they’re meant to be experienced. Some songs are built for the drive, some for the pit, some for release. The Bestiary contains a few tracks that can stand alone in a metal playlist, but that isn’t where the album truly lives. This is a record designed to be taken in as a whole, lyrics in hand, attention undivided. It unfolds like a journey rather than a collection of songs, rewarding patience and immersion. This is music meant to be experienced, not passed through.
Musically, the album lives in the deep end of doom. The riffs crawl and crush with intention, each one placed like part of a larger spell being cast. There’s a medieval weight to the songwriting, calling back to epic heavy metal without leaning on nostalgia. The pacing allows atmosphere to breathe, giving the myths and imagery space to take shape.
Visually and conceptually, Castle Rat rejects familiar leather-and-steel iconography in favor of something far older and more arcane. Their world is populated by unicorns, dragons, and figures pulled from folklore rather than history books. On stage and in presentation, they feel less like a band and more like characters from a forgotten realm, reinforcing the sense that this music comes from belief, not costume.
At the center stands a voice that defines the album’s power. Riley Pinkerton (“The Rat Queen”) holds notes with remarkable control, letting them linger and resonate rather than rush past. When she reaches higher, it feels deliberate and ceremonial, never strained, never ornamental. Her presence guides the music rather than overpowering it, anchoring the album’s mythic atmosphere with authority and poise.
Vinyl & Packaging
A visual map of the album’s mythic world.
On vinyl, The Bestiary feels less like a release and more like an artifact. The record itself is pressed on a clear, smoke-tinted vinyl, with natural cloudy swirls that give each copy a slightly different appearance. Rather than feeling decorative, the transparency suits the album’s ethereal, otherworldly tone, subtle and atmospheric rather than flashy. Note: The vinyl comes in different patterns
The LP is accompanied by a large lyric insert that expands the album’s mythic world. Each song is paired with bestiary-style imagery, arranged in circular, almost ritualistic layouts that resemble arcane diagrams or medieval manuscripts. Phoenixes, wolves, unicorns, serpents, and other creatures appear not as decoration, but as extensions of the album’s narrative. Reading along while listening reinforces the sense that The Bestiary was designed to be experienced as a complete journey, not just heard.
As a physical object, this edition reflects the same care and intention found in the music itself: immersive, cohesive, and deeply tied to the album’s fantasy-driven identity.
- Vinyl: Clear / smoke-tinted transparent pressing with cloudy swirl
- Insert: Full lyric sheet with bestiary creature symbols and teal-on-black design
- Side A label highlights: Phoenix I, Wolf I, Wizard, Siren, Unicorn, Path of Moss
Photos: HeavyMetalBuzz archive.
