One month after the announcement of their new album The Bestiary, fantasy doom metal outfit Castle Rat have unleashed that album’s first single with “Wizard.” And if you know anything about this band, you know it’s got enough old school flair and sex appeal that would have made Ronnie James Dio blush.

For the uninitiated, Castle Rat is a New York-based act that releases killer songs about medieval fantasy. Their sound harkens back to the early days of heavy metal. It’s melodic, it’s fuzzy, and it’s badass. As I wrote when they announced ‘The Bestiary’, “there are swords, ‘spells’, and at the end of the day, hopefully some vanquished evil.”

Speaking of the new album’s debut single, Charley Ruddell (aka ‘Plague Doctor’) said this new track marked a momentous occasion for the band.

“Musically, ‘Wizard’ was a big step in a new direction for us as a band. We found ourselves collaborating more closely with each other and piecing together ideas more intricately than on previous songs. We channeled the new wave of British heavy metal; the galloping drum break and harmonized guitar leads were largely inspired by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Franco’s solo at the end – which was recorded in one take – was inspired by ‘Electric Eye.’”

Not a bad place to draw inspiration from, if we’re being honest. “Wizard” is just one of 13 new tracks featured on The Bestiary. Speaking of this new single, guitarist and vocalist Riley Pinkerton (aka ‘The Rat Queen’) explained some of the lore implications this song has for Castle Rat.

“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.”

The Bestiary will be released on September 19 via King Volume Records here in the U.S. and Blue Funeral Recordings in the U.K. and Europe. You can preorder your copy today (European pre-orders here).

If you’d like to catch ’em live, you can do so at any of the dates listed below.

Spring European tour 2025

June 10 – Bochum, DE – Die Trompete
June 11 – Munich, DE – Feierwerk
June 12 – Hradec Kralove, CZ – Rock For People
June 13 – Vienna, AT – Arena
June 14 – Winterthur, CH – Heavy Psych Sounds Festival
June 15 – Basel, CH – Quaterdeck
June 17 – Bologna, IT – Freakout Club
June 18 – Torino, IT – Blah Blah Club
June 20 – Clisson, FR – Hellfest Open Air
June 21 – Copenhagen, DK – Copenhell
August 8 – Âncora, PT – Sonic Blast Fest

Fall US tour 2025

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 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