Exclusive: Castle Rat’s “Dagger Dragger” Video Has Enough Dark Fantasy Elements to Make Dio Blush

Classic heavy metal is at its best when it’s swinging swords, vanquishing evil dudes, partaking in dark rituals, and at times, being sexy as hell. And after watching the music video for Castle Rat’s latest single “Dagger Dragger,” they’ve got all of those boxes checked and then some.

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, this sludgy, doom metal band peddles in the same sort of aesthetic that legendary acts like Dio and early Motorhead did back in the 70s and 80s. Fronted by Riley Pinkerton, the band’s sound definitely has a retro feel without sounding contrived at all, siphoning all of the good parts of modern sludge and doom metal bands like The Sword while stirring Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath in their black cauldron of sound.

According to the band, this song, along with all of their new material, was recorded in a 150 year-old abandoned church in Philadelphia. That space lent itself to the music’s overall sound, which was entirely necessary to the story Castle Rat wants to tell, according to Pinkerton.

“‘Dagger Dragger’ narrates the tale of a skilled huntress of demons, beasts, and scoundrels, as she battles against a vengeful enchantment. Pursued by a mysterious Shadow Beast, the huntress pays the ultimate price for slaying the beloved henchman of a most powerful sorceress.”

All of that’s present in the video, bringing to life a story of deceit, ritualistic killing, witchcraft, and tragedy. So if you’re looking for fuzzy, psychedelic doom metal with a penchant for swords, witches, and skullduggery, definitely give Castle Rat a listen.

“Dagger Dragger” will be available via streaming services on tomorrow.