Fantasy doom metal band Castle Rat has shared “Serpent,” the third single from its upcoming sophomore album “The Bestiary,” due Sept. 19, 2025, via King Volume Records in the United States and Blues Funeral Recordings in the U.K. and Europe.
“With ‘Serpent,’ we wanted to explore the iconography of the snake—not just as a symbol of danger or deceit, but as a tragic figure, misunderstood and cast out,” vocalist/guitarist Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) said. “There’s a tantalizing quality to the song; it’s seductive and sympathetic all at once. The drums are bombastic, the tempo pushes toward this near-march that’s as danceable as it is headbang-worthy. We leaned into synth textures more prominently this time, adding a layer of eerie elegance to the chaos. It’s slithering, it’s sharp—it’s the serpent’s side of the story.”
“Serpent” is the latest chapter to be revealed as “The Bestiary” unfolds, following the introductions of ‘Wizard‘ and ‘Wolf I.’
Additionally, Castle Rat will make its debut on the cover of Decibel‘s October 2025 issue. Get a copy here.
Since forming in 2019, Castle Rat has created a 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 tracks of epic carnage and mystical metal.
“The Bestiary’ is a conceptual book of beasts containing a collection of mystical creatures from a world forgotten,” Pinkerton said. “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.”
“The Bestiary” track list:
1. Phoenix I
2. Wolf I
3. Wizard
4. Siren
5. Unicorn
6. Path of Moss
7. Crystal Cave
8. Serpent
9. Wolf II
10. Dragon
11. Summoning Spell
12. Sun Song
13. Phoenix II
Castle Rat will embark on the Book of Beasts Tour in late summer in support of “The Bestiary.” Purchase tickets at https://bnds.us/jnqiyj.
Tour dates:
North America
Sep 4 – Kingston, NY – Assembly
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 – Fantastic Fest
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
Europe
Oct 16 – Prague, CZ – Cafe V Lese
Oct 17 – Leipzig, DE – Werk 2
Oct 18 – Arnhem, NL – Willemeen
Oct 19 – Antwerp, BE – Desertfest
Oct 21 – Cologne, DE – Volta
Oct 22 – Aschaffenburg, DE – Colos-saal
Oct 23 – Berlin, DE – Lido
Oct 24 – Copenhagen, DE – Copenhell Metal Cruise
Oct 25 – Copenhagen, DE – Copenhell Metal Cruise
Oct 27 – Hamburg, DE – Indra
Oct 28 – Karlsruhe, DE – Stadtmitte
Oct 30 – Barcelona, ES – Upload
Oct 31 – Lyon, FR – Les Subs
Nov 1 – Vellet, FR – Westill Festival
Nov 2 – Lille, FR – La Bulle Cafe
Nov 4 – Brighton, UK – Concorde 2
Nov 5 – Bristol, UK – Lost Horizon
Nov 6 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom
Nov 7 – Nottingham, UK – Bodega
Nov 8 – Manchester, UK – Damnation Festiva
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