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Although numerous rockers have drawn from high fantasy, only a handful have fully embraced the mythical existence. Admittedly, they could embellish their album sleeves with creatures, imps, captive women and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever needed to retrieve a misplaced unicorn horn from a frost-covered ground in the depths of winter? Did a guitarist taken the time squinting in the back of a tour bus, fixing their own metal mesh?

Embracing the Mythos

Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have had to face these exact challenges and additional ones as they embody their epic fantasies. Starting with knightly, catchy anthems to eye-popping concerts, costume design, videos and record designs, they’re more than a heavy metal group as a total artistic immersion.

“It wasn’t planned to be a themed musical group,” says vocalist, guitarist, sword-wielder and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport drives from a packed show in Cologne to a second one in Aschaffenburg – they are playing multiple performances in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and were scheduled on a Halloween gig, where I made a last-minute decision to dress up. Everything was highly handmade, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. It occurred to me, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the group – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” together with a pestilence physician (low-end instrumentalist), aristocratic undead (guitarist) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the band’s second album, conjures visions of famous rock groups collaborating to fight their path through a Frank Frazetta fantasy world – a grand composition that positions them on the brink of greater success.

The release was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her fellow members. “That contributed to a much better project,” she says of the collaborative process. “It was challenging at first – I often experienced a specific level of accomplishment as a female in music working independently. There’ve been numerous occasions where after a show and an audience member will say, ‘The band write great riffs!’ and I think, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has expanded, so has the scope of their visual elements. “My philosophy is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. At first, she had been on track for a university studies in art before pulling back at the prospect of heavy loans. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to express artistic expression,” she says. “From creating face coverings, attire creation, mastering post-production clips … it’s all stuff I don’t know how to do, but it’s fun to figure it out in the moment.”

Even though creating the band’s intricate lore (“People are encouraging me to document it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, indicating her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the vocalist self-educated how to create armor – no mean feat, though she admittedly entrusted her brand-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

As for audiences? They took to the fake blood, foam swords and handmade props with as much gusto as the group. “We performed a show in the Motor City and it seemed like a historical festival,” recalls Riley with affection. “Everyone was in capes, wool garments, metal wear.”

That’s not to imply, however, that life on the road as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “All our gear is always failing and ends up 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 restricted capacity. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a mythic tale, then store it into minimal luggage.”

We faced further organizational challenges that wouldn’t have troubled legendary fantasy heroes. “We did have an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played a music event in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – went missing,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because there is no an alternative version of the performance where I lack a blade.”

Goals Ahead

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “I aim to reach as far as possible – let’s do large venues,” she says. “The key element that’s deeply meaningful to me is keeping the self-crafted look, making sure everything is crafted by us. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we scale to. Additionally, I desire to ride out on a mythical beast every night. Remember how legends use vehicles in concerts? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”