If a warrior queen painted by fantasy art godfather Frank Frazetta came to life and started a high-concept metal band rooted in sludgy, Black Sabbath–style riffs, you’d have Castle Rat. The band’s sound is pure doom metal, while their lyrics, artwork, outfits, and personas situate them in a seamless medieval fantasy universe. Front person and occasional guitarist Riley Pinkerton is the Rat Queen who oversees the kingdom—one of her real-life childhood nicknames was “Rat,” bestowed due to her mouselike front teeth. Lead guitarist Franco Vittore is the Count; bassist Charley Ruddell is the Plague Doctor; and drummer Joshua Strmic is the Druid. Castle Rat ply a sound that’s passed through many hands, and their version is excellently crafted, demonstrating a reverence for heavy metal royalty su

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