Back Alley Ritual presents you a doomed fucking Wednesday with 2 excellent doom bands; CASTLE from across the ocean and HEX TAR from our own Dutch hellscape… Make sure to bring earplugs and a wallet, because you need some beers to flush this down!

**CASTLE **
Heavy metal/doom trio CASTLE have announced their new album 'Carrie Chains'. Recorded at RainCity Recorders in Vancouver, BC with producer Jesse Gander (Anciients, Brutus, 3 Inches Of Blood), the album is slated for worldwide relase September 4, 2026 via the bands label Hammerheart Records.
CARRIE CHAINS, Castle's seventh studio album; follows 2024's 'Evil Remains' and marks a highly productive 2 year period which saw the band also release the live album 'One Knight Stands; Live In NY' and an all-covers ep, 'Double Vision'.

Since storming out of San Francisco with their 2011 debut 'In Witch Order' and following with their 2012 JUNO nominated album, 'Blacklands', both released via Germany's Van Records - Castle has toured relentlessly, playing over 750 shows on three continents. The recent 'Evil Remains Tour' has so far hit Europe (twice), the U.S. and Canada with stops at Muskelrock (Sweden), Battle Cry Fest (Germany) and Chicago's Legions Of Metal Fest along with multiple sold out shows including the band's hometown of San Francisco.

CASTLE is set to release two full length albums in 2026; the first, a limited edition lp in March on their own Black Wren label followed by the worldwide release of their new studio album in September via Hammerheart Records.

HEX TAR
NO HYPE, NO HOPE, NO FUN: JUST DOOM
Hailing from the Dutch South, these veterans bring you DOOM, nothing more, certainly no less!