It’s not even September, and my house already is mildly decked out for Halloween, neon ghosts and bats and illuminated pumpkin lanterns already on full display.  If people can start celebrating Christmas in fucking October, then I’m going to bask in the macabre and spooky as soon as it’s reasonable for me to do so.

This year’s celebration will have an added bonus, that being “Evil Remains,” the pounding new record from doom power Castle, who have been silent from a full-length standpoint for the past six years. This new record arrives just when the seasons are ripe to change, ushering in the time when devious powers lurk inside us all. Over eight tracks and 37 minutes, the band—vocalist/bassist Liz Blackwell, guitarist/vocalist Mat Davis, and new drummer Mike Cotton—delivers channeled, charred doom metal that’s hefty on melody, charging dual vocals, and bone-shaking energy that feels perfect at any time of the year but works even better as skeletons and ghouls start their annual rise from their worm-infested grave.  

“Queen of Death” buzzes in place before the guitars kick in, Davis’ grim singing taking lead early on before Blackwell’s smoky howl joins. Doomy and swampy, the pace swelters, gruff howls knifing, trudging fury kicking up and leaving a sweaty film on your face. “Nosferatu Nights” brings haunting guitars as Blackwell’s singing glazes, the guitars increasing the heat as the pace swings and chugs. The singing turns humid and then sultry, the heaviness hanging over your head, driving to a punishing end. “Deja Voodoo” enters amid thick bass, Blackwell’s vocals weighing down, the playing turning catchy even as it imposes its will. The tempo gets faster and heavier, later turning warmer as a psyche storm is forming. An energetic burst tears through ribcages, strong emotion flooding before a barreling end. “Evil Remains” starts on a bluesy riff, letting the sense of evil boil, and then the playing crunches, the singing smoking as the leads spiral. Molten guitars lap as punchy swagger erupts, buzzing through heaviness, the guitars slinking as the sun sets permanently.

“Black Spell” lands blows, the singing stinging as catchy riffs overtake you, raspy vocals then leaving brush burns on flesh. Growls maul as the guitars burst, a great chorus flooding over, the final moments feeling furious. “100 Eyes” bludgeons, deeper singing taking you underneath the earth, the playing driving exposed elbows into prone teeth. Minds melt as the guitars drag over hot coals, swirling in ugliness and blood, speeding up as a mangling fury becomes dominant and devours everything whole. “She” has fluid guitars flowing like a mad river, tangling your veins as strong singing acts as a powerhouse, smoking leads taking on a burning edge. The playing clobbers with reckless abandon, Blackwell and Davis trading off their vocal prowess, the call of, “She walks the devil’s path,” stabbing an exclamation point at the end of the tale. Closer “Cold Grave” is grim and sooty, Blackwell again going deeper vocally, guitars firing up as the blazing power blinds eyes. “Don’t turn your back,” Blackwell warns as the playing takes a punk-flavored edge, melodic soloing swelling with pressure, keys drizzling over a blasting finish.

“Evil Remains” arrives at the perfect time of the year, and as the winds eventually turn colder, and your blood feels thicker in your veins, Castle return to be the perfect conduit for witchy tidings. Their smoky doom always has gone done easily, but this new record finds them rejuvenated and hungrier, still unafraid to blacken your eyes as they weave their magic. This is a raucous and sinister good time, a record that proves Halloween truly is possible all year around.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/CastleSF

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://napalmrecordsamerica.com/hammerheart

Or here: https://hammerheartstore.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.hammerheart.com/