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Although many artists have borrowed from high fantasy, only a handful have genuinely embodied the enchanted existence. Certainly, they could adorn their record jackets with creatures, beasts, captive women and strong fighters, but has an artist ever have to recover a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a wintry landscape in the heart of winter? Has anyone taken the time squinting in the rear of a traveling vehicle, repairing their own metal mesh?

Immersed in the Legend

Formed in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with such situations and more as they embody their heroic dreams. Starting with knightly, catchy tunes to breathtaking performances, attire styling, music videos and cover artwork, they’re not so much a metal band as a total artistic immersion.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a themed musical group,” explains vocalist, guitar player, sword-carrier and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport drives from a sold-out gig in a German city to one more in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing multiple performances in the UK currently. “We played two shows and were scheduled on a October show, where I decided spontaneously to wear a costume. The entire setup was completely self-made, but we had an amazing time and the feeling in the room was incredible. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have so much excitement always?’”

Development of Castle Rat

Since then, the group – which features Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” together with a pestilence physician (bass player), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, conjures visions of famous rock groups joining forces to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that places them on the verge of greater success.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her collaborators. “This helped a lot stronger project,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – I often experienced a particular degree of satisfaction as a female in music doing everything solo. I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and some guy will say, ‘The other members compose cool melodies!’ and I respond, ‘Wait – I composed all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

With their growing popularity has increased, so has the breadth of their production design. “My philosophy is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. She was originally on course for a fine art degree before pulling back at the idea of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to apply artistry,” she says. “Whether it’s creating face coverings, outfit planning, learning how to edit song visuals … these are all things I am unfamiliar with, but it’s exciting to discover in the moment.”

As if building the band’s intricate lore (“People are encouraging me to document it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, indicating her head) and stitching garments were insufficient, the vocalist taught herself how to create armor – a difficult task, though she admittedly delegated her all-new scale armor design 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, soft weapons and handmade props with equal enthusiasm as the band. “We had a show in the Motor City and it looked like a historical festival,” reminisces Riley with affection. “All attendees was in capes, wool garments, armor.”

However, this doesn’t mean, however, that life on the road as mythical wanderers has been easy. “All our gear is frequently damaged and ends up repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Moreover I’ll have endless ideas as to how I want things to look, but we’re traveling in a vehicle with limited room. It’s an interesting challenge to give the sense like a larger-than-life story, then store it into nothing.”

We faced other logistical problems that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we performed at a Portuguese festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an alternative version of the concert where I don’t have a blade.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is gung-ho about the what’s next. “I want to go all the way – we should play stadiums,” she says. “The key element that’s really important to me is keeping the self-crafted look, making sure all elements is handmade. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we grow into. Oh, and I want to make an entrance on a mythical beast each show. You know how famous musicians do the motorcycle thing? Exactly that, but on a mythical creature.”