Castle Rat is an American doom metal band from Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2019. The band is themed around the medieval period of the Middle Ages, and consists of four personas—the Rat Queen as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist (Riley Pinkerton), the Count as the lead guitarist (Franco Vittore), the Plague… Read moreShow less
Castle Rat is an American doom metal band from Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2019. The band is themed around the medieval period of the Middle Ages, and consists of four personas—the Rat Queen as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist (Riley Pinkerton), the Count as the lead guitarist (Franco Vittore), the Plague Doctor as the bassist (Charley Ruddell), and the "All-Seeing" Druid as the drummer (Josh Strmic). The band declares the Rat Reaperess (Madeline Wright) as their arch nemesis. Wright is considered a member of the band, but doesn't play any instruments, performing on stage with the band as the character instead.
Originally consisting of Pinkerton, guitarist Henry Black as the Count, bassist Ron Lazilotta as the Plague Doctor, Strmic, and Wright, Castle Rat's first concert took place on August 15, 2019, at Sunnyvale in Brooklyn, New York, performing alongside the Silk War, Turbo Goth, and Free Land. The band would later sign with King Volume Records, and after the release of a few singles, their debut album Into the Realm was released through the label on April 12, 2024. It was recorded in two days at an abandoned Philadelphia church the band temporarily converted into a studio. Into the Realm received mixed reviews after its release. Later that year, as Lanzilotta and Black would both leave the band, with Charley Ruddell and Franco Vittore replacing their roles respectively.
Castle Rat's second studio album The Bestiary was released on September 19, 2025, and the band embarked on the Book of Beasts tour to support the album.
