Red, black, and white vinyl reissue with a 3-way color fusion (Phoenix II edition). The medieval metal phenomenon presents its captivating new LP, *The Bestiary*! Castle Rat is a medieval fantasy heavy metal band led by the Rat Queen on a quest to expand and defend “the Realm” from those who seek to destroy it. She is joined by The Count, The Plague Doctor, and The Omniscient Druid. Together, they face the relentless wrath of their arch-enemy: Death herself, the Rat Reaper. Their second album, *The Bestiary*, is a compendium brimming with riffs about mystical creatures and cautionary tales from a forgotten world, telling allegorical stories of mythical beasts and the Wizard who summons them. It weaves powerful heavy anthems and dark enchantments into a spellbinding, unforgettable heavy metal odyssey. As if Grace Slick had kissed Black Sabbath a thousand years ago. Rising from the creature-infested, vile New York underground, these purveyors of fantasy heavy metal made a splash with their live performances and later with their 2024 debut album, *Into The Realm*. Since forming in 2019, Castle Rat has created a vivid labyrinth of fantasy lore, waging countless battles with riffs, swords, and hard rock spells against “The Rat Reaper.” Recorded by Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) and mixed by Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), the album features spellbinding tracks about epic carnage and mystical metal.
