Band:	Castle
Album:	Evil Remains
Style:	Doom metal, Heavy metal
Release date:	September 06, 2024
Guest review by:	Blackcrowe

01. Queen Of Death
02. Nosferatu Nights
03. Deja Voodoo
04. Evil Remains
05. Black Spell
06. 100 Eyes
07. She
08. Cold Grave

Vampires On The Castle.

After a long break since Deal Thy Fate, Castle returns with Evil Remains. The power trio consists of Liz Blackwell on vocals and bass, Mat Davis on guitar and vocals, and Mike Cotton on drums. The band continues with the obscure vampiric themes and their heavy metal sound.

Formed in 2009 in San Francisco, Castle released their debut full-length In Witch Order, recorded in Germany, in 2011. The album brought attention to the band and earned them “Album of the Year” from Metal Hammer Norway, marking them as a promising new act. Since then, Castle has kept the same lineup, performing shows worldwide and preserving their heavy doom metal style.

Evil Remains is their sixth full-length album, and stays true to the sound they established on their previous releases, featuring dark lyrics about haunted places and vampires.

The track “Queen Of Death” sets the tone with a dark, 70s heavy metal vibe, blended with Castle’s sound. Tracks like “Nosferatu Nights” and “Deja Voodoo” build on this, offering heavy, fuzzed-out guitars and eerie vocals that create a psychedelic, occult atmosphere. Mat Davis’s guitar work is particularly impressive on this record, with standout riffing on “Deja Voodoo” and the title track “Evil Remains”. His creativity and skill as an instrumentalist are at their peak here, especially his work on “Black Spell”. Liz Blackwell’s strong voice moves effortlessly from low, earthy tones to soaring highs, and her bass work fills out the mix particularly in the song “She”; the vocals and bass are awesome, and Mike Cotton’s intricate drumming adds a dynamism that complements the band’s sound.

While Evil Remains stays true to Castle’s signature style, the compositions aren’t as strong as on previous records. Evil Remains is not on the level of Deal Thy Fate, my favorite album from the band, but it’s impossible to deny their evolution. Castle’s ability to mix classic heavy rock, doom, and a touch of obscurity still keeps things interesting.