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While numerous musicians have taken inspiration from epic fantasy, few have truly lived the fantasy lifestyle. Sure, they might embellish their record jackets with creatures, beasts, captive women and strong fighters, but did a member ever have to find a lost unicorn horn from a wintry landscape in the heart of winter? Did a performer devoted hours squinting in the back of a road transport, repairing their own chainmail?

Embracing the Mythos

Established in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have had to face both these scenarios and more as they live out their heroic dreams. Starting with medieval-inspired, earworm-heavy tunes to breathtaking live shows, attire styling, videos and record designs, they’re not so much a metal band as a total artistic immersion.

“It wasn’t planned to be a outfit with characters,” states vocalist, guitarist, blade-handler and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van travels from a sold-out gig in a German city to a second one in another town – they have several shows in the UK now. “After a couple of performances and received an offer on a Halloween gig, where I decided spontaneously to put on an outfit. The entire setup was highly handmade, but we had an amazing time and the atmosphere was unforgettable. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

Development of Castle Rat

From that point on, the group – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a pestilence physician (bass player), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and enigmatic nature priest (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, conjures visions of famous rock groups collaborating to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a grand composition that positions them on the brink of bigger achievements.

The release was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her collaborators. “It made it a lot stronger album,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a specific level of accomplishment as a female in music doing everything solo. There’ve been so many times where after a show and a person will say, ‘Those guys write great riffs!’ and I’m like, ‘Wait – I composed all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As their fame has grown, so has the scope of their visual elements. “My philosophy is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. At first, she had been on path for a fine art degree before pulling back at the prospect of financial burden. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “From crafting disguises, attire creation, figuring out video editing song visuals … these are all things I am unfamiliar with, but it’s fun to learn in the moment.”

Even though developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“Everyone’s urging me to write it down because everything is stored,” Riley says, indicating her head) and stitching garments wasn’t enough, the singer self-educated how to craft metal mesh – no mean feat, though she confessedly left her all-new scale armor design to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

Regarding the fans? They embraced the stage blood, toy blades and handmade props with similar excitement as the musicians. “We played a gig in the Motor City and it seemed like a Renaissance fair,” remembers Riley with affection. “All attendees was in capes, wool garments, chainmail.”

This isn’t to say, though, that touring existence as mythical wanderers has been plain sailing. “All our gear is constantly breaking and ends up fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Moreover I get numerous thoughts as to how I desire the presentation, but we are on the move in a van with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a larger-than-life story, then compress it into minimal luggage.”

There have been other logistical problems that didn’t affect mythic characters. “There was an ‘oh shit’ moment when we appeared at a Portuguese festival in the European country and my luggage – which had my sword in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because there’s not an backup plan of the show where I am without a blade.”

Upcoming Plans

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the days to come. “I aim to reach all the way – let’s do huge arenas,” she says. “The only thing that’s deeply meaningful to me is maintaining the DIY aesthetic, ensuring everything is handmade. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we achieve. Oh, and I desire to ride out on a mythical beast at all performances. Think about how some artists do the motorcycle thing? Exactly that, but on a mythical creature.”