Concert Review: Castle Rat – 1865, Southampton

Monday 10th August 2026

Since I’ve had the luck to obtain the special edition Metal Hammer picture disc version of “The Bestiary” album, I couldn’t wait to see Castle Rat live. As the previous day they played at Bloodstock Festival, it seemed logical to do a few more shows around. The gig at The 1865 in Southampton was a sold-out, captivating, phenomenal fantasy doom metal show, a one of a kind experience.

The night featured strong opening acts from the Birmingham based doom band Meatdripper and Battlesnake, a theatrical style heavy metal band from Sydney, Australia.

Castle Rat have barely played a few gigs in the UK so far, but already the metal audience’s interest around the band is more than obvious.

Fronted by “The Rat Queen” (Riley Pinkerton) and accompanied by a plague doctor, a vampire, and a druid, the Brooklyn, New York based band turned the stage into a realm of metal fantasy blending storytelling and sword fights at their show.

The sold-out show at The 1865 attracted metal fans of all sub genres with their tight musicianship, really heavy doomy riffs, and fiery, scorching guitar solos that elevated their performance above a basic gimmick and this balanced over-the-top stage presence make them a must-see live act.

With an encore of Cry For Me and Siren, Castle Rat showered the engaged audience with showmanship that normally comes from decades of performing live on stage. Mixing traditional heavy metal with their fresh and unique approach, the band is already set for the bigger stages.

This was a high-energy theatrical live show, finishing with the Rat Queen defending “The Realm” from those who seek to destroy it.