Release Date September 4th, 2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Heavy/Doom Metal
Origin United States
Castle emerged from San Francisco in 2011 with their debut "In Witch Order", building a career around heavy-doom metal, occult themes and riff driven songwriting. Over the years, the band has toured extensively across North America, Europe and Japan, playing more than 800 shows on three continents. The current lineup features Liz Blackwell on bass and vocals, Mat Davis on guitar and vocals, and Mike Cotton on drums.
"Carrie Chains" is the seventh full length album from Castle and their second release through Hammerheart Records, following 2024's "Evil Remains". Their musical language draws from the heavy riff tradition associated with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate, Danzig and Motörhead, with doom structures meeting traditional heavy metal and a darker hard rock edge.
"Carrie Chains" contains eight songs built around prominent guitar riffs, heavy bass, forceful drumming and Liz Blackwell's whiskey toned vocals. The material has a strong connection to 1970s and 1980s heavy metal, with songs such as "Fooled Again", "3 Knocks", "Evil Nun", "Truckgrinder" and "Burn The Messenger" relying on memorable guitar figures and recurring vocal hooks.
The production was handled by Jesse Gander at RainCity Recorders in Vancouver, with the album recorded live in the studio, a choice that gives the performances a more immediate character. The drums have a strong presence, while the guitars remain central throughout the record, carrying most of the musical detail.
Lyrically, the album moves through occult imagery, sinister figures, fire, graves, crosses and other dark fantasy themes, creating a setting that remains closely tied to Castle's established aesthetic. The songwriting is concise, with most tracks sitting in the three to five minute range, so the album moves quickly and avoids unnecessary extensions.
"Carrie Chains" is a riff focused heavy metal record with enough doom influence to give the songs a darker atmosphere, while the vocals add a rough, distinctive quality to the material. The production gives the three musicians enough space for their individual parts to remain easy to follow, with the guitars receiving the main focus throughout. Castle presents eight compact songs that stay centered on riffs, hooks and classic heavy metal songwriting.
|8.3
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