Fantasy heavy metal outfit Castle Rat have released “Wolf I”, a feral second taste of their upcoming concept album “The Bestiary”, out September 19 via King Volume and Blues Funeral. Building on the mythic universe they’ve crafted on stage, the single prowls through shadowy riffs and ritualistic chants, anchored by a howling solo from guitarist Franco “The Count” Vittore.
We caught the band live at their recent show in Vienna, where Riley Pinkerton (The Rat Queen) led a fog-drenched ritual of swords, spells, and doom theatrics. While the earlier single, “Wizard,” leaned into NWOBHM grandeur, “Wolf I” taps into something more primal, an ode to the lone hunter, the shadow self. The Bestiary is shaping up to be their most fully realized vision yet.
