“… the jauntier “The Heart Can’t Feel,” which has … a sharp, clean riff that reminds me of peak rock revival times, and a killer video directed by Jen Meller that has tap dancing in it. I'm throwing up the Sign of the Horns for Castle Black...”
- I Enjoy Music blog
“Some songs just have *that* riff, you know the one, a riff that hooks you right from the get-go—hook, line and sinker—-a riff so sturdy it easily serve as the foundation for an entire three-to-four minute song with some subtle variations and layerings thrown in for good meansure but still THE RIFF REIGNS SUPREME like with Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” or White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” or Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” …”
- Jason Lee, The Deli
“…this new EP continues their iconoclastic ways with further greatness … Castle Black might just be the most exciting band in the world of independent music right now, and for fans of bands as diverse as Nirvana, Melvins, Tool and even ‘80s punk, it just doesn’t get any better than this.”
- Take Effect
“Within ‘City of the Sea’ we hear the staple vocals of Celent and tempered guitar coursing through a new song we haven’t heard from Castle Black until now.
… kick back, and put yourself at ease while admiring this uniquely charismatic aura that can’t help but gush from Castle Black’s latest EP, ‘Take Her My Life‘, you’ll be 100% happy that you did!”
“Over the last couple of years, power trio Castle Black have put out a series of ferociously smart, edgy short albums. Watching the group develop from a promising, messy punk band into a sleek, relentlessly dark, complicated beast has been one of the real feel-good stories in the ever-shrinking New York rock scene.”
”The title track is a creepy, sabretoothed masterpiece ... “ “It’s one of the half-dozen best songs of 2019 so far ... ”
“Five tunes from one of the best bands that exists today certainly isn’t enough, but Castle Black make the most of this quick listen as they find a unique spot between grunge, punk and New Wave. Each song here highlights something different about their extensive talent, from atmosphere and rhythm to driving, charged, melodic intensity and even a ballad of sorts with bursts of abrupt fury.”
“In a world that lives in a bubble of unspeakable acts and in a time that few artists speak through music for social issues comes CASTLE BLACK with ‘Sierra’. Taking to issue all of the tremors that are shaking the world today with the punk and tone strong voices can only make, you feel the entirety of the pain felt by many and more than you can imagine.”