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While many artists have taken inspiration from fantasy lore, rarely any have fully embraced the enchanted existence. Admittedly, they could decorate their record jackets with ghouls, beasts, captive women and brawny barbarians, but did a member ever been forced to find a lost unicorn horn from a frost-covered ground in the depths of winter? Has a guitarist taken the time straining their eyes in the interior of a traveling vehicle, fixing their own metal mesh?

Immersed in the Legend

Created in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have had to face both these scenarios and more as they act out their epic fantasies. From heraldic, catchy songs to stunning performances, costume design, visuals and album art, they’re more than a metal band as a full immersive experience.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a costumed concept band,” states singer, guitarist, blade-handler and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle travels from a sold-out gig in Cologne to one more in Aschaffenburg – they have several shows in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and got booked on a spooky event, where I decided spontaneously to dress up. It was all super-DIY, but we had an amazing time and the atmosphere was unforgettable. I thought, ‘How about if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

Growth of the Group

After that, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” joined by a plague doctor (bass player), proud bloodsucker (lead guitarist) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – continued forward. The Bestiary, the group’s sophomore release, brings to mind of legendary heavy bands uniting to battle their way through a heroic art landscape – a grand composition that sets them on the brink of greater success.

This album was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “This helped a much better album,” she says of the group work. “It was challenging at first – I often experienced a certain amount of pride as a woman in music doing everything solo. I’ve had so many times where after a show and a person will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Hey – I composed all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

With their growing popularity has grown, so has the scope of their visual elements. “My philosophy is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on track for a fine art degree before balking at the prospect of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “From making masks, costume design, learning how to edit song visuals … it’s all stuff I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to discover as we go.”

As if developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“People are encouraging me to record it because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to make chainmail – a challenging endeavor, though she admittedly entrusted her all-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she beams.

Fan Response and Obstacles

As for audiences? They took to the stage blood, toy blades and crafted rodent bones with similar excitement as the band. “We had a show in the Motor City and it looked like a medieval event,” remembers Riley happily. “Everyone was in robes, animal hides, chainmail.”

However, this doesn’t mean, though, that traveling lifestyle as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been easy. “All our gear is always failing and gets fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Additionally I get numerous thoughts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we are on the move in a vehicle with restricted capacity. It’s a unique problem to make it feel like a larger-than-life story, then compress it into minimal luggage.”

There have been other logistical problems that would never have plagued fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we played a Portuguese festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – went missing,” says Riley. “This became a terrible situation, because we don’t have an backup plan of the show where I lack a blade.”

Future Ambitions

As a genuine leader, Riley is eager about the days to come. “I aim to reach to the top – I dream of huge arenas,” she says. “The key element that’s really important to me is preserving the handmade style, guaranteeing everything is crafted by us. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we achieve. Plus, I wish to appear on a magical horse at all performances. Think about how some artists do the motorcycle thing? The same idea, but using a unicorn.”