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While numerous musicians have borrowed from high fantasy, rarely any have fully embraced the mythical lifestyle. Certainly, they might embellish their record jackets with ghouls, imps, manacled maidens and brawny barbarians, but has an artist ever been forced to retrieve a lost horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Did a performer spent time squinting in the rear of a tour bus, mending their own armor?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have encountered such situations and additional ones as they act out their grand tales. From medieval-inspired, memorable songs to stunning performances, attire styling, visuals and cover artwork, they’re not so much a heavy metal group as a complete sensory journey.

“It wasn’t planned to be a outfit with characters,” explains vocalist, guitarist, sword-carrier and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they are playing five gigs in the UK this week. “We played two shows and were scheduled on a spooky event, where I made a last-minute decision to dress up. It was all completely self-made, but we had a blast and the atmosphere was electric. I thought, ‘How about if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

Development of Castle Rat

After that, the ensemble – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” alongside a plague doctor (bass player), haughty vampire (guitarist) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – haven’t looked back. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, conjures visions of classic metal icons uniting to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that places them on the verge of far grander things.

The release was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her fellow members. “That contributed to a more powerful record,” she says of the collaborative process. “It was challenging at first – There was a sense of a certain amount of satisfaction as a female in music doing everything solo. There’ve been numerous occasions where I finished performing and an audience member will say, ‘The other members compose cool melodies!’ and I respond, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has increased, so has the scope of their visual elements. “The saying I live by is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. At first, she had been on track for a university studies in art before balking at the prospect of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to express artistry,” she says. “Whether it’s creating face coverings, outfit planning, mastering post-production song visuals … everything is I have no experience with, but it’s fun to discover in the moment.”

As if developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“The team is pushing me to write it down because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the vocalist taught herself how to craft metal mesh – a challenging endeavor, though she admittedly delegated her brand-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she beams.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

Regarding the fans? They loved the stage blood, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the band. “We performed a concert in the Motor City and it resembled a medieval event,” recalls Riley with affection. “All attendees was in robes, wool garments, metal wear.”

That’s not to imply, however, that touring existence as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “All our gear is frequently damaged and becomes duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Additionally I come up with numerous thoughts as to how I desire the presentation, but we tour in a bus with only so much space. It’s a unique problem to give the sense like a grand epic, then pack it down into nothing.”

There have been other logistical problems that didn’t affect mythic characters. “We experienced an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we played a music event in Portugal and my luggage – which had my weapon in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because there’s not an alternative version of the concert where I don’t have a weapon.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is eager about the what’s next. “My goal is to the top – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The only thing that’s truly essential to me is maintaining the self-crafted look, ensuring everything is custom-made. It’s a component I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we grow into. Oh, and I wish to make an entrance on a mythical beast each show. Remember how famous musicians use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but using a unicorn.”