A Saturday night concert. What more could you ask for? The Summon The Beast Tour 2026 rolled into The Opera House, Toronto, for a night of mystical Heavy Metal with Castle Rat.
Castle Rat
The Opera House, Toronto – 17 October 2026
Words And Photography: Taylor Cameron
The Opera House transformed into a magical realm of wizards, vampires and the Rat Queen herself. This was Heavy Metal meets fantasy, creating a world of their own. With backstories and character lore, Castle Rat bring more than just music to the stage. They bring a production that will have you completely captivated.
There was not an empty spot left within the walls of The Opera House, as Toronto’s music fans showed up with enthusiasm and excitement for the Doom Metal band that hails from Brooklyn, New York.
From mosh pits to roaring cheers, the crowd made sure there was no shortage of love and appreciation for the theatrics and showmanship of the band’s powerful show.
Although dealing with a sickness she deemed “the plague,” The Rat Queen [Riley Pinkerton] did not let it slow her down. Delivering mighty vocals and ruling the realm, she did not allow this to stop her from giving a performance that was any less than 100%.
Her storytelling blended perfectly with the heavy riffs and mythical themes of their hard-hitting tracks. The crowd chanted for more with each song that passed.
As the narrative of the show progressed and reached the end of their set, it was time for The Rat Queen to engage in battle with her enemy, the Rat Reaperess.
Although it was to be believed she had been struck down, The Rat Queen can seemingly not be defeated as she returned to the land of the living with a bloody twist. Blood poured from her mouth as she raised her sword high in the air before they finished off the song and left the stage.
The venue stayed dark as the crowd cheered, wanting more. A Castle Rat chant began, getting louder by the second before the band reemerged from the darkness and closed out the show with their hit Siren.
It was clear the audience did not want the story to end.
Although not my typical genre of live shows, Castle Rat put on an unforgettable show worth watching every second of, and Toronto was lucky to experience a trip to the realm with these incredibly talented musicians.
Castle Rat are certainly on a mission to conquer new realms and have announced their biggest London headline show to date at Camden’s Electric Ballroom on 27 May 2027. Tickets are on sale now here.
Wraith Knight
Starting off the evening was Wraith Knight. Heavy synths and ominous lighting kept things in theme for the night. With a medieval tone to the tracks, it felt as though we were in an adventure film filled with knights and dragons, kicking things off strong for the night.
Unto Others
Next up were Oregon’s gothic rock/Heavy Metal band, Unto Others. With a sound that blends heavy and melodic perfectly, they immediately caught everyone’s attention, including mine.
Having heard of the band but never listened, my expectations were exceeded. Gabriel Franco handled vocal duties with ease. His voice filled with power as he commanded the stage.
Guitar slinger Sebastian Silva was completely captivating. His essence oozed the guitar heroes of the ’80s as his fingers danced across the fretboard.
Chunky riffs and melodic solos were paired with thunderous drums and heavy bass lines that had fans headbanging and holding their horns high in the air.
The Opera House was packed from front to back, everyone making sure not to miss the opening acts.
