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While plenty of musicians have borrowed from epic fantasy, few have fully embraced the mythical way of life. Admittedly, they could decorate their album sleeves with ghouls, goblins, captive women and brawny barbarians, but has any musician ever have to recover a missing unicorn horn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Has a guitarist taken the time squinting in the rear of a tour bus, fixing their own armor?

Living the Fantasy

Established in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have dealt with both these scenarios and more as they act out their heroic dreams. From knightly, memorable songs to stunning live shows, costume design, visuals and record designs, they’re more than a rock act as a total artistic immersion.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a costumed concept band,” explains singer, guitar player, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport drives from a sold-out gig in a German city to another in Aschaffenburg – they have multiple performances in the UK currently. “We played two shows and received an offer on a Halloween gig, where I chose at the final moment to put on an outfit. Everything was completely self-made, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. It occurred to me, ‘How about if we could have this much fun at every show?’”

Development of Castle Rat

From that point on, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” together with a plague doctor (low-end instrumentalist), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and mysterious druid (rhythm keeper) – never turned back. The Bestiary, the group’s sophomore release, evokes images of legendary heavy bands collaborating to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a grand composition that positions them on the edge of greater success.

The release was a first for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her bandmates. “It made it a lot stronger album,” she says of the group work. “I had difficulty at first – I often experienced a particular degree of pride being a woman in music working independently. There have been numerous occasions where I finished performing and a person will say, ‘The band write great riffs!’ and I’m like, ‘Hey – I created all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As their fame has expanded, so has the breadth of their production design. “My philosophy is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. She was originally on track for a university studies in art before balking at the possibility of financial burden. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to express artistry,” she says. “Be it making masks, outfit planning, mastering post-production clips … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to discover in the moment.”

Even though creating the group’s detailed mythology (“Everyone’s urging me to document it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the vocalist learned on her own how to create armor – no mean feat, though she admittedly left her completely original reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she beams.

Fan Response and Obstacles

What about the crowd? They embraced the theatrical gore, toy blades and papier-mache rat skulls with equal enthusiasm as the musicians. “We performed a concert in the Motor City and it seemed like a medieval event,” remembers Riley with affection. “Everyone was in robes, sheepskin, metal wear.”

This isn’t to say, however, that touring existence as fantasy adventurers has been easy. “Each item is frequently damaged and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Additionally I come up with countless concepts as to how I want things to look, but we’re traveling in a bus with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to make it feel like a grand epic, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

We’ve encountered additional practical issues that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played SonicBlast festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – got lost,” says Riley. “This became a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an different option of the performance where I don’t have a sword.”

Future Ambitions

As a genuine leader, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “I want to go to the top – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is preserving the self-crafted look, making sure all elements is handmade. This is a feature I want to keep true to, regardless of we scale to. Plus, I wish to make an entrance on a magical horse each show. You know how famous musicians do the motorcycle thing? Exactly that, but on a mythical creature.”