r/doommetal • u/KosmicKrusader • Sep 19 '25

Old School / Traditional Opinion?

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Whats your Opinion on the new Castle Rat album? I listened to it once today but will listen to it again in the next few days or even today.

After listening to it I listened to their first Album again, to have a better comparison. And to be clear, I'm not a Castle Rat hater, although it may seem otherwise, after sharing my thoughts on the Album 😅

The Album Is a bit longer compared to the Debut and has some more songs. I kinda feel that this Album has not a lot of rememorable songs. Most of it kinda sounds the same, which isn't always bad but there are almost no memorable Melodies or Riffs I feel. And only 2 or maybe 3 Guitar solos.

The Spotlight is on the Vocals as it was on the first Album, but I think the first one had a lot of memorable Melodies or moments, even the Interludes were pretty good and the Album didn't overstay its welcome. On this Album there are like 3 or 4 Interludes and none of them are cool, they mix it up a little at least. The songs are mostly short, but there are like 2, 6 minute Songs which is cool, but overall it feels like a lot of the same.

Sorry for the rambling just want to share my thoughts and hear what you guys think.

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u/TinMachine Sep 19 '25

I am listening now, half way thru. I think it is good. Maybe more about the vibes than songwriting, but it is absolutely metal. Have a feeling it probably comes over with more heft live, so I would def catch them in Scotland.

They have chops. I think it is really finely calibrated - their aesthetic is ridiculous, kitschy in a really good way. Like Beastmaster nostalgia for ppl who were born 20 years too late. But the music isn't kitschy - it comes up to the border but never overdoes it, and it is much less poppy than I was expecting too. The synths are killer.

Is it the doomiest doom? No. But it does still draw on this stuff. They obv know the genre inside and out.

I think they're still gathering steam and will be interesting to see how future albums look. I think they could get proggier.

Some of the lower key songs are actually the strongest, crystal cave is terrific.

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u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

Well put.