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While numerous musicians have drawn from fantasy lore, few have truly lived the fantasy way of life. Sure, they might adorn their album covers with ghouls, goblins, chained damsels and strong fighters, but has any musician ever have to recover a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a frost-covered ground in the heart of winter? Did anyone taken the time squinting in the interior of a tour bus, fixing their own chainmail?

Embracing the Mythos

Created in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have had to face these exact challenges and more as they embody their grand tales. From medieval-inspired, memorable songs to stunning live shows, outfit creation, music videos and cover artwork, they’re not just a metal band as a complete sensory journey.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a outfit with characters,” states singer, guitar player, sword-carrier and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport travels from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to one more in another town – they are playing five gigs in the UK now. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a October show, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. Everything was highly handmade, but we had so much fun and the energy was incredible. It occurred to me, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the group – which features Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” alongside a plague doctor (low-end instrumentalist), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and mysterious druid (drummer) – haven’t looked back. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, brings to mind of legendary heavy bands uniting to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that positions them on the brink of greater success.

This album was a first for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her fellow members. “It made it a lot stronger record,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – I’d always felt a certain amount of satisfaction being a woman in music doing everything solo. There have been so many times where I’ve got off stage and an audience member will say, ‘The band write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Wait – I created all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has expanded, so has the scope of their stage presentation. “The saying I live by is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. She was originally on path for a art school education before pulling back at the prospect of financial burden. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to apply artistry,” she says. “Whether it’s crafting disguises, costume design, learning how to edit music videos … these are all things I am unfamiliar with, but it’s exciting to figure it out on the fly.”

Even though developing the band’s intricate lore (“The team is pushing me to record it because everything is stored,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and stitching garments didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to create armor – a challenging endeavor, though she confessedly delegated her brand-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a New York-based specialist. “It feels like actual armour,” she beams.

Fan Response and Obstacles

As for audiences? They loved the fake blood, soft weapons and papier-mache rat skulls with as much gusto as the group. “We played a gig in the Motor City and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” reminisces Riley fondly. “All attendees was in robes, sheepskin, armor.”

That’s not to imply, nevertheless, that touring existence as fantasy adventurers has been smooth. “Everything is frequently damaged and gets fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Additionally I get countless concepts as to how I desire the presentation, but we tour in a van with only so much space. It’s a unique problem to give the sense like a mythic tale, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

There have been additional practical issues that would never have plagued mythic characters. “We did have an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played a music event in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “It was a terrible situation, because we don’t have an different option of the show where I am without a blade.”

Future Ambitions

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “I want to go to the top – we should play stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s truly essential to me is maintaining the handmade style, guaranteeing everything is crafted by us. That’s an element I want to keep true to, whatever we grow into. Oh, and I want to ride out on a magical horse each show. You know how famous musicians ride bikes on stage? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”