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Although plenty of musicians have drawn from high fantasy, rarely any have genuinely embodied the mythical lifestyle. Certainly, they may adorn their record jackets with ghouls, beasts, captive women and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever needed to retrieve a missing horn from a unicorn from a wintry landscape in the heart of winter? Has a performer spent time peering in the back of a tour bus, fixing their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Established in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have encountered these exact challenges and others as they act out their heroic dreams. From medieval-inspired, catchy anthems to eye-popping live shows, outfit creation, visuals and record designs, they’re more than a rock act as a total artistic immersion.

“It wasn’t planned to be a outfit with characters,” explains singer, guitarist, sword-carrier and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a packed show in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they have multiple performances in the UK this week. “After a couple of performances and got booked on a spooky event, where I made a last-minute decision to wear a costume. Everything was highly handmade, but we had an amazing time and the energy was unforgettable. I thought, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

Since then, the group – which features Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” alongside a pestilence physician (bassist), aristocratic undead (lead guitarist) and mysterious druid (drummer) – continued forward. The new record, the follow-up record, conjures visions of classic metal icons joining forces to battle their way through a Frank Frazetta fantasy world – a grand composition that sets them on the verge of bigger achievements.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her bandmates. “This helped a more powerful project,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a specific level of satisfaction as a woman in music working independently. I’ve had numerous occasions where after a show and a person will say, ‘Those guys write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

As the band’s stature has expanded, so has the breadth of their visual elements. “My philosophy is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. At first, she had been on track for a art school education before balking at the possibility of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to express artistry,” she says. “Whether it’s making masks, costume design, mastering post-production song visuals … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s exciting to learn on the fly.”

Even though developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“The team is pushing me to record it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and making clothing didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to craft metal mesh – no mean feat, though she admittedly delegated her all-new scale armor design to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

Regarding the fans? They loved the stage blood, soft weapons and handmade props with similar excitement as the band. “We had a gig in Detroit and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” remembers Riley with affection. “Everyone was in robes, animal hides, armor.”

That’s not to imply, however, that traveling lifestyle as mythical wanderers has been smooth. “All our gear is frequently damaged and ends up fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Moreover I get numerous thoughts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we tour in a van with only so much space. It’s a unique problem to give the sense like a mythic tale, then compress it into nothing.”

There have been further organizational challenges that wouldn’t have troubled legendary fantasy heroes. “We did have an ‘disastrous’ moment when we performed at a Portuguese festival in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because we don’t have an alternative version of the performance where I lack a sword.”

Goals Ahead

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is gung-ho about the days to come. “I aim to reach to the top – I dream of large venues,” she says. “The key element that’s really important to me is keeping the DIY aesthetic, ensuring each detail is custom-made. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we achieve. Additionally, I wish to appear on a magical horse at all performances. You know how legends do the motorcycle thing? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”