Now is Forever! Castle Rat at the Showbox
We headed to the Showbox Market for one of our most anticipated October shows, the kind of night where the buzz outside already tells you you’re about to witness something special. Castle Rat has been on our radar for a while now, a Brooklyn band formed in 2019 that merges doom metal, fantasy lore, and theatrical worldbuilding into a fully immersive experience.
At the center of it all is vocalist and guitarist Riley Pinkerton, known onstage as The Rat Queen, the charismatic leader of the Realm whose voice, presence, and storytelling have become the backbone of the band’s mythology. Alongside her is The Count, Castle Rat’s lead guitarist, whose shredding solos and glam‑metal flair give the band its razor‑sharp edge; The Plague Doctor, the masked bassist whose low‑end rumble anchors the group’s doom‑laden sound; and The All‑Seeing Druid, the drummer whose ritualistic rhythms and pounding intensity drive the theatrical chaos forward. Together, they form a lineup that feels less like a band and more like a cast of characters in a heavy‑metal fantasy epic.
Their Summon the Beasts tour promised a portal into their universe, and Seattle was more than ready to step inside. The show opened with a cinematic sequence: a wizard walked onto the stage with a white wolf at his side, carrying the Book of Spells. He placed it on a podium where it remained for the rest of the night, glowing under the lights like a sacred artifact. One by one, the band members emerged, each greeted with loud cheers from fans who were already fully invested in the lore. When The Rat Queen finally appeared, standing center stage in golden garments and her rat crown, she looked like she had stepped straight out of an ’80s sci‑fi film, regal, fierce, and completely in command. From the first riff, the room shifted. We weren’t at the Showbox anymore; we were in the Realm.
Castle Rat’s performance unfolded like a theatrical saga, with songs acting as chapters and characters entering the stage to push the story forward. The Rat Queen paused between tracks to deliver speeches that deepened the narrative, her voice echoing through the venue as she guided the crowd through battles, rituals, and prophecies. The Count’s guitar work sliced through the fog, each solo feeling like a spell cast across the room. The Plague Doctor stalked the stage with eerie precision, his basslines rumbling like distant thunder. The All‑Seeing Druid hammered out rhythms that felt ceremonial, each strike adding weight to the unfolding drama. Every member contributed to the spectacle, and the crowd responded to every moment with full‑throated enthusiasm.
The night reached its peak during “Serpent,” when the Rat Reaperess appeared and the tension snapped into a full battle. The fight escalated until the Rat Reaperess struck down The Rat Queen, leaving her lifeless on the stage. Gasps rippled through the room. Then, in true Castle Rat fashion, The Plague Doctor arrived with a healing potion, resurrecting her as she spit blood and rose again. It was wild, theatrical, and completely unforgettable, the kind of moment that makes you realize why this band inspires such devotion. As she stood tall, reborn, she shouted, “Now is Forever!” and every single person in the room answered back, “In this Realm!” It was impossible not to join in; the call‑and‑response felt like a spell cast over the entire venue.
The band returned for an encore, closing the night with “Cry for Me” and “Siren,” two fan favorites that brought this fairytale‑meets‑doom‑metal epic to its final chapter. By the time the last note rang out, the crowd was still buzzing, still fully inside the world Castle Rat had summoned. This performance was more than we expected and far better than anticipated, a reminder that some bands don’t just play shows, they create experiences. Castle Rat knows how to entertain, how to command a room, and how to make sure all eyes stay locked on them. I won’t be missing any of their live shows again, and truly, neither should you.
