Fantasy-driven heavy metallers Castle Rat have unleashed their third and final single, SERPENT, taken from their upcoming sophomore album The Bestiary, due September 19th, 2025 via King Volume Records (US) and Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/Europe).
On the new track, guitarist/vocalist Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) explains:
“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. 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.”
Recorded by Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) and mixed by Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), The Bestiary delivers 13 tales of beasts and sorcery, rooted in Castle Rat’s signature blend of traditional heavy metal and theatrical fantasy lore.
Since forming in 2019, the NYC quartet, The Rat Queen (Riley Pinkerton), The Count (Franco Vittore), The Plague Doctor (Charley Ruddell), and The All-Seeing Druid (Joshua Strmic)—have carved out a cult following through their immersive performances, lore-driven narratives, and sword-and-sorcery stage battles. Their debut, Into the Realm (2024), became a breakout success, topping Bandcamp’s charts and surpassing one million Spotify streams.
Earlier this year, the band smashed records with a Kickstarter campaign that raised $139,000 in one month, marking one of the most successful metal crowdfunding campaigns in over a decade.
The Bestiary arrives this September, followed by a massive fall US and European tour. Highlights include festival appearances at Desertfest, Hellfest, and Copenhell alongside headlining dates across North America.
Listen to SERPENT now via Bandcamp.
Full US tour dates and tickets available here.
