Review by Vladimir on July 16, 2024.

If there is one thing that doom metal is good at, it's that it always makes you feel like you are wandering the graveyard, or descending down a crypt, or witnessing a demon summoning ritual. Of course, there is a lot more to it that a subgenre such as this encompasses through the atmosphere, and you will most likely come across some psychedelic and hypnotizing albums with a slight retro vibe to it, which can instantly hook you into it. Such is the case with the band Castle, with their sixth full-length album Evil Remains which is due to be released on September 6th, 2024 via Hammerheart Records. Grab your crucifix and be prepared to enter the wicked world that lies beyond the grave.

Kicking things off with 'Queen Of Death', the curtain falls down to unveil pure evil expressed through doom and gloom in the slow and wicked riffs, mid-tempo drums and co-joint vocals of Mat Davis and Elizabeth Blackwell, with every musical bit crafted from pure black magic and witchcraft. There are plenty of heavy and dark tunes on this album which are wonderfully elevated with the occult and psychedelic atmosphere on top of it, with every track taking it to the next level as both heaviness and darkness in music becomes more pronounced. Tracks like 'Nosferatu Nights' and 'Deja Voodoo' really go one step further by strengthening the established foundation of Evil Remains, and I must say that there is just a certain kind of beauty behind these devilish serenades clad in these powerful metallic harmonies that carry over from one track to another. It's evident that the album has a strong black magic factor to it, which defines one of its prime qualities, and what's great is that it's everlasting throughout its entirety. The further this story progresses, the more you feel sucked into its macabre and hypnotizing nature, constantly hooked from start to finish as if you are under a 'Black Spell', before you reach your 'Cold Grave'. Speaking of 'Black Spell', in comparison to the rest of the tracklist, this is a bit of a step in a different direction in terms of its execution, which leans more towards traditional heavy metal with some slight proto-doom elements, while still maintaining the dark occult vibe that flows through Castle's riff work. I like the fact that Evil Remains has an overall very intense feeling to it, which is pretty much like horror movie suspense in musical form, always building up to the climax of the ongoing events, with a grand sense of closure once it wraps up with the finale.

When it comes to the songwriting, it's met with plenty of simplicity that was nicely executed throughout the entire album by always keeping it tight and effective. There is a strong sense of stylistic consistency with each song on the album, but what's great about it is that it never feels boring or formulaic, because you will still feel incredibly invested in the album even during the second half as it gradually builds up towards the grand finale. The musical DNA of Castle is heavily rooted in classic doom metal like Pentagram, Saint Vitus and 70's Black Sabbath, but on a couple of moments I also felt a bit of The Devil's Blood and Coven in there as well, so it's got a variety of elements from all sorts of angles, from heavier rock to the doomiest metal, which is what really highlights the charm of this album. Aside from the musical output, even the "oldschool horror movie poster" styled cover art gives Evil Remains a very retro vibe to it, which is a really nice visual representation of what Castle provides on this album, that also gives throwback to the mid to late 70's and early 80's classic horror movies. Another big contribution to the retro vibe of the album is the production that has a very dry, thunderous and crunchy guitar sound, that nicely pronounces the solid performance and the heavy riff work of Castle.

Evil Remains is a very enjoyable doom metal album that gives plenty of good stuff worth checking out and I guarantee it's impossible to not get possessed by its wicked black spell. Castle's new album is an awesome thrill-ride that brings out the best of the occult and sinister elements that are quintessential for a subgenre such as this, and the band has successfully ticked all the boxes. Be sure to give this album a go, because you will definitely want to experience its bewitching majesty.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10