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Although plenty of rockers have borrowed from high fantasy, only a handful have truly lived the fantasy existence. Sure, they might embellish their album covers with creatures, beasts, chained damsels and strong fighters, but did a member ever have to retrieve a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Did a guitarist spent time straining their eyes in the rear of a road transport, fixing their own metal mesh?

Embracing the Mythos

Created in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have encountered both these scenarios and others as they embody their epic fantasies. Starting with knightly, earworm-heavy anthems to stunning live shows, costume design, videos and record designs, they’re not so much a metal band as a complete sensory journey.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a outfit with characters,” states singer, guitarist, sword-wielder and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van travels from a packed show in Cologne to a second one in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing several shows in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a spooky event, where I decided spontaneously to dress up. Everything was highly handmade, but we had so much fun and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun every time?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the ensemble – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” alongside a plague doctor (bass player), aristocratic undead (guitarist) and mysterious druid (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the band’s second album, brings to mind of legendary heavy bands uniting to fight their path through a Frank Frazetta fantasy world – a grand composition that sets them on the verge of far grander things.

The release was a first for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her collaborators. “This helped a much better album,” she says of the team effort. “It was challenging at first – There was a sense of a certain amount of pride being a woman in music doing everything solo. There have been multiple instances where I finished performing and a person will say, ‘Those guys compose cool melodies!’ and I’m like, ‘Listen – I wrote all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As the band’s stature has grown, so has the scope of their stage presentation. “The saying I live by is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. She was originally on track for a fine art degree before hesitating at the prospect of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to express artistry,” she says. “From crafting disguises, attire creation, learning how to edit song visuals … everything is I am unfamiliar with, but it’s fun to discover as we go.”

As if building the group’s detailed mythology (“The team is pushing me to write it down because everything is stored,” Riley says, indicating her head) and stitching garments were insufficient, the vocalist self-educated how to create armor – no mean feat, though she confessedly left her completely original reptilian-inspired outfit to a New York-based specialist. “It’s as if actual armour,” she beams.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

Regarding the fans? They took to the stage blood, foam swords and papier-mache rat skulls with as much gusto as the group. “We played a show in Detroit and it resembled a historical festival,” recalls Riley fondly. “All attendees was in robes, sheepskin, chainmail.”

That’s not to imply, however, that life on the road as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “Everything is constantly breaking and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Plus I get numerous thoughts as to how I want things to look, but we’re traveling in a bus with limited room. It’s an interesting challenge to make it feel like a mythic tale, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

We faced additional practical issues that wouldn’t have troubled mythic characters. “We did have an ‘disastrous’ moment when we performed at SonicBlast festival in Portugal and my luggage – which had my blade in it – got lost,” says Riley. “This became a nightmare, because we don’t have an alternative version of the concert where I lack a weapon.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is eager about the future. “I want to go all the way – I dream of huge arenas,” she says. “The main aspect that’s really important to me is maintaining the DIY aesthetic, making sure all elements is crafted by us. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we achieve. Oh, and I desire to make an entrance on a magical horse each show. You know how legends use vehicles in concerts? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”