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While plenty of artists have taken inspiration from high fantasy, few have genuinely embodied the mythical existence. Admittedly, they may decorate their album sleeves with ghouls, goblins, captive women and brawny barbarians, but has any musician ever have to find a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a wintry landscape in the midst of winter? Did anyone spent time squinting in the back of a road transport, repairing their own armor?

Embracing the Mythos

Created in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with these exact challenges and others as they live out their heroic dreams. From heraldic, memorable anthems to stunning live shows, costume design, music videos and record designs, they’re not just a metal band as a complete sensory journey.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a outfit with characters,” states singer, guitarist, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to a second one in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing several shows in the UK currently. “We played two shows and got booked on a Halloween gig, where I made a last-minute decision to wear a costume. It was all highly handmade, but we had an amazing time and the feeling in the room was electric. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have such enjoyment every time?’”

The Band’s Evolution

Since then, the band – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” together with a medic from history (low-end instrumentalist), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (rhythm keeper) – continued forward. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, conjures visions of famous rock groups joining forces to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that positions them on the verge of far grander things.

The Bestiary was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her fellow members. “That contributed to a more powerful record,” she says of the team effort. “I had difficulty at first – There was a sense of a specific level of accomplishment as a female in music doing everything solo. I’ve had numerous occasions where I finished performing and an audience member will say, ‘The band compose cool melodies!’ and I think, ‘Listen – I composed all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As their fame has increased, so has the breadth of their stage presentation. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. She was originally on path for a art school education before hesitating at the prospect of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to express creativity,” she says. “Whether it’s crafting disguises, costume design, mastering post-production music videos … everything is I have no experience with, but it’s fun to learn on the fly.”

As if developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“People are encouraging me to document it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, indicating her head) and stitching garments wasn’t enough, the vocalist learned on her own how to craft metal mesh – a difficult task, though she admittedly left her completely original scalemail look to a professional in the city. “It seems like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

Regarding the fans? They took to the fake blood, toy blades and crafted rodent bones with similar excitement as the musicians. “We performed a gig in the Motor City and it seemed like a historical festival,” recalls Riley with affection. “The whole crowd was in capes, wool garments, metal wear.”

However, this doesn’t mean, though, that traveling lifestyle as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “All our gear is constantly breaking and ends up repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Additionally I come up with endless ideas as to how I desire the presentation, but we tour in a vehicle with restricted capacity. It’s a unique problem to create the impression like a grand epic, then store it into minimal luggage.”

We faced additional practical issues that didn’t affect legendary fantasy heroes. “We experienced an ‘disastrous’ moment when we performed at a music event in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my sword in it – got lost,” says Riley. “This became a terrible situation, because there is no an different option of the performance where I don’t have a blade.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is enthusiastic about the future. “My goal is as far as possible – let’s do huge arenas,” she says. “The only thing that’s really important to me is maintaining the handmade style, ensuring everything is handmade. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we grow into. Oh, and I desire to ride out on a mythical beast each show. You know how famous musicians ride bikes on stage? The same idea, but using a unicorn.”