Energetic, hard hitting and hooks for days, Royal Castles is growing into a staple of the garage-rock revival of the 2020s. Hailing from the Royal City of Guelph, Ontario and featuring the power trio of Katrin Sawatzky, Jordan Gabriel and AJ Johnson (Juno-nominated Cuff the Duke), the three-piece take influence from the bands of their formative years, delivering pounding drums, crunchy guitars and a healthy dose of wooly bass.
Royal Castles brings the small-town, homegrown indie rock sound of the 90’s into the 21st century. It’s clear the band is set on remembering its roots—their adoration for Guelph is the inspiration for their track ‘Love This Town’ and the music video for their third single, ‘Frickin’ Pretty’ was filmed at Far Out Flicks, one of Canada’s last remaining video rental shops. The appreciation the trio shares for their town extends to each other: Sawatzky, Gabriel and Johnson share an undeniable bond and shared love for their craft that makes for alluring music.