Every D&D Dungeon master gets their inspiration from somewhere. It might be their favorite Netflix show, a recently devoured fantasy novel, or a specially curated playlist. My personal inspiration is music, so I'm always on the hunt for a soundtrack that feels like a game of Dungeons and Dragons. If you're after the same thing, then believe me, you need to listen to Castle Rat.
Castle Rat is a 'medieval fantasy doom metal' band whose debut album dropped in 2024. If you're not familiar with the genre, it's like listening to Black Sabbath while riding on the back of a dragon.
The slow tempo, combined with weighty guitar riffs and wailing vocals, invokes the kind of dread you get at the start of a dark, grueling dungeon crawl. The vibes are old-school, inspiring the kind of D&D games that rely on dwindling resources and monsters you can't talk your way past.
The vibes feel even more old school when you meet the band members. Each of them has been ripped straight from an '80s AD&D book cover, and you can immediately picture them as some classic DnD classes.
On vocals we have The Rat Queen, whose greatsword, chainmail, and fierce mane of red hair peg her as the perfect DnD Fighter. The vampiric Count covers lead guitars and backing vocals, and his dark demeanour makes us think of skulking DnD Rogues. The Plague Doctor, who's definitely some kind of Death Cleric 5e, plays bass, while there's a literal DnD Druid on drums.
If you couldn't tell from these aliases, Castle Rat is a concept band. That's what makes them perfect D&D listening: you're getting plot ideas as well as atmosphere.
The Rat Queen's sole purpose is to defend 'The Realm' from her nemesis, the Rat Reaperess. This grim entity pursues the party, as she was recently robbed of the Count's soul. Said Count once died in a ditch, but a potion from the mysterious Plague Doctor resurrected him as a vampire.
The Rat Queen's pet rat managed to drink a spilled drop of this potion, transforming into the monstrous Castle Rat who, somehow, managed to open an interdimensional portal. Now, with the help of The Druid, the group travels the universe, thwarting the Rat Reaperess wherever they meet. The band plays this tale out at their live shows, complete with sword fights and Alice-Cooper-style theatrics.
Castle Rat's next album even sounds like a D&D Monster Manual. The party are now hunting 'The Book of Beasts', a tome of incantations that, if it fell into the wrong hands, could summon all manner of dangerous villains and creatures. You can see one of the singles that's been released early in the music video above.
Looking for more inspiration? D&D fans share campaign ideas all the time in the Wargamer Discord. We can also tell you everything you need to know about DnD races and DnD 2024 backgrounds.