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Although numerous rockers have borrowed from fantasy lore, rarely any have genuinely embodied the enchanted existence. Certainly, they could adorn their record jackets with creatures, beasts, chained damsels and brawny barbarians, but did a member ever been forced to find a lost mythical horn from a wintry landscape in the midst of winter? Has anyone spent time squinting in the interior of a traveling vehicle, repairing their own metal mesh?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with both these scenarios and additional ones as they act out their grand tales. Starting with heraldic, earworm-heavy songs to stunning performances, attire styling, music videos and cover artwork, they’re not just a heavy metal group as a complete sensory journey.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a themed musical group,” explains vocalist, guitar player, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a packed show in a German city to a second one in Aschaffenburg – they have multiple performances in the UK this week. “Initially, we performed twice and got booked on a Halloween gig, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. The entire setup was super-DIY, but we had so much fun and the energy was unforgettable. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have such enjoyment at every show?’”

The Band’s Evolution

After that, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” together with a pestilence physician (bass player), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – continued forward. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, brings to mind of famous rock groups collaborating to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a grand composition that sets them on the edge of bigger achievements.

This album was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her collaborators. “That contributed to a lot stronger record,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a certain amount of accomplishment as a woman in music working independently. There have been numerous occasions where I finished performing and a person will say, ‘The other members create awesome guitar parts!’ and I respond, ‘Hey – I created all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As the band’s stature has expanded, so has the breadth of their production design. “My philosophy is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. At first, she had been on path for a fine art degree before hesitating at the possibility of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to apply creativity,” she says. “Whether it’s creating face coverings, outfit planning, figuring out video editing clips … everything is I don’t know how to do, but it’s fun to learn as we go.”

Even though developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“Everyone’s urging me to write it down because everything is stored,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and stitching garments didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to make chainmail – no mean feat, though she confessedly left her brand-new scalemail look to a New York-based specialist. “It feels like actual armour,” she grins.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

What about the crowd? They loved the stage blood, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with similar excitement as the band. “We played a gig in Detroit and it seemed like a medieval event,” remembers Riley fondly. “All attendees was in cloaks, animal hides, metal wear.”

This isn’t to say, however, that traveling lifestyle as mythical wanderers has been smooth. “All our gear is always failing and gets duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Moreover I come up with countless concepts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we tour in a van with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to make it feel like a larger-than-life story, then store it into nothing.”

We’ve encountered additional practical issues that wouldn’t have troubled legendary fantasy heroes. “There was an ‘disastrous’ moment when we played a Portuguese festival in Portugal and my luggage – which had my weapon in it – went missing,” says Riley. “That was a terrible situation, because we don’t have an different option of the performance where I lack a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is gung-ho about the what’s next. “My goal is as far as possible – let’s do huge arenas,” she says. “The only thing that’s deeply meaningful to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing all elements is custom-made. It’s a component I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we grow into. Plus, I wish to appear on a mythical beast every night. You know how famous musicians do the motorcycle thing? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”