Thrash-inspired Doom Metaller’s CASTLE released their second album, Blacklands, on September 11th on their new North American label, Prosthetic Records. Blacklands – which was produced by Billy Anderson (Cathedral, Sleep, Neurosis) – was described by Metal Hammer UK as being “a tough alloy of purest classic metals — doom, thrash, epic and power — charged with arcane mysticism.” The album artwork was done by Russian symbolist painter, Denis Forkas Kostromitin. CASTLE were formed in 2009 and released their debut album In Witch Order via the German label Van Records (The Devil’s Blood) in the spring of 2011. The album brought light to the newly formed band and gained them the title of Metal Hammer Norway’s Album of the Year as well as Roadburn Festival’s Newcomer of the Year. The band, which consists of Elizabeth Blackwell on vocals/bass, songwriter Mat Davis on guitars/vocals and Al McCartney on drums, is currently on a 35 city North American tour. CASTLE has recently been confirmed to take part in next year’s instalment of the prestigious Roadburn Festival, where they will perform alongside the likes of Electric Wizard, Godflesh and Sigh. The annual event in Tilburg, Holland, will take place April 2013.