Castle Rat’s triumphant return to Chapel of Bones delivered a heroic and theatrical spectacle of epic proportions, once again expanding and defending the Realm.
Chapel of Bones is a small 200-ish person venue that serves as a coffee shop during the day, home to all genres of metal performances at night. On a beautiful October evening, the line to enter Chapel of Bones formed early and wrapped around the corner nearly two hours before showtime. Everyone was eager to welcome a returning metal hero, a savior of our realm. The Rat Queen had returned!
Local metal act Road Head opened the evening to a very full venue. So full, the band acknowledged halfway through the set that “there are so many of you. It’s intimidating.” With no sign of stage fright in sight, Road Head tore through a six-song set that lived up to their self-proclaimed “NC motorpunx” title. A power trio with the energy and tempo of an 1980s punk band, Road Head stuck with one tempo for the full set; fast. Echoing a little Motorhead and a little Husker Du in their songwriting and performance, the setlist included “Molotov,” “Stitched Up,” and closed with a new song, “Hog Cranker.” Limited to the front of the very full stage, Road Head delivered the adrenaline jolt everyone hoped for to kick off the evening.
In the support slot, a mighty Howling Giant took the stage with little fanfare and welcoming applause. Based on the reaction from the audience, Howling Giant unexpectedly established themselves as the audience’s new favorite up-and-coming band. Formed in Nashville, Tennessee, over a decade ago, the four-piece band has released four EPs, a split, two full-length albums, and has toured with many big name national acts. Their experience shone through immediately, beginning with “Comet Rider” from their The Space Between Worlds release, which caused more than one “whoa!” reaction within the crowd.Sounding very similar to Mastodon and Baroness with their complex and sprawling songwriting, singing drummer, and intertwined styles and tempos, Howling Giant’s performance exceled beyond those heavyweight bands because they were fun. All four amazing musicians were locked in with each other, smiling ear-to-ear, and performing with such intensity it sucked the audience in immediately and never let go.
Including songs from their upcoming release, Crucible & Ruin, such as “Canyon” and “Scepter and Scythe.” The sonic balance between each instrument was perfect. Each member of the band contributed something unique to the band’s sound, but more impressive was the clarity and perfect meshing of melody, tone, and rhythm from all members. Superbly performed, energetically delivered, and graciously appreciative, Howling Giant delivered a headliner-worthy set that caught Chapel of Bones off guard and blew the audience away.
This evening’s performance marked the second time Castle Rat graced the Chapel of Bones’ stage. Drawing a sell-out crowd, again, the members of Castle Rat entered the darkened stage after a recorded story explaining the lore of “The Bestiary,” a book that protects the Realm being sought out by the evil “Rat Reaperess.” The Rat Queen, Riley Pinkerton on vocals and guitar, led the audience through an intricate storyline woven throughout the setlist, turning the musical concert into a full blown performance with characters and plot. Dressed in exquisite costumes, The Count on lead guitar, The Plague Doctor on bass, and The All-Seeing Druid on drums were characters in the story, working with The Rat Queen to expand and defend the Realm.The medieval fantasy defining Castle Rat’s story and persona was delivered masterfully. The music, lyrics, on-stage visuals, even the mid-set skits, including a sword fight between good and evil, everything just worked together perfectly to engage and entertain the audience. Songs such as “WOLF I” and “SERPENT” from their 2025 release The Bestiary were epic yarns told through superb musicianship and a highly choreographed performance that kept the entire audience enthralled until the very end.
Castle Rat could be considered a niche band; however, the quality and expertise of their music and showmanship made this performance one of the best metal shows to grace the Chapel of Bones stage for all fans of metal music. The Book of Beasts US Tour comes to an end on October 5, 2025, in Brooklyn, NY, before moving overseas for a European leg extending to November 8, 2025.
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