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Although numerous rockers have taken inspiration from high fantasy, rarely any have genuinely embodied the fantasy lifestyle. Admittedly, they may decorate their album sleeves with monsters, goblins, chained damsels and strong fighters, but did a member ever needed to retrieve a missing mythical horn from a wintry landscape in the depths of winter? Did anyone taken the time peering in the back of a tour bus, repairing their own chainmail?

Living the Fantasy

Established in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have had to face both these scenarios and others as they embody their grand tales. Starting with knightly, memorable anthems to stunning live shows, attire styling, visuals and album art, they’re not so much a heavy metal group as a total artistic immersion.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a themed musical group,” explains vocalist, guitar player, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle speeds from a packed show in a German city to one more in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing several shows in the UK this week. “After a couple of performances and received an offer on a October show, where I decided spontaneously to put on an outfit. Everything was highly handmade, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I thought, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

Growth of the Group

From that point on, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” alongside a medic from history (bassist), proud bloodsucker (lead guitarist) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – continued forward. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, evokes images of legendary heavy bands collaborating to battle their way through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that places them on the verge of far grander things.

This album was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her collaborators. “It made it a much better project,” she says of the collaborative process. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a specific level of accomplishment as a woman in music doing everything solo. I’ve had numerous occasions where after a show and a person will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Hey – I composed all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

As the band’s stature has grown, so has the scope of their production design. “My motto is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. Initially, she was on path for a university studies in art before balking at the prospect of heavy loans. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to apply creativity,” she says. “From crafting disguises, costume design, mastering post-production music videos … these are all things I have no experience with, but it’s enjoyable to learn as we go.”

As if developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“The team is pushing me to write it down because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and stitching garments wasn’t enough, the singer self-educated how to craft metal mesh – a challenging endeavor, though she confessedly delegated her all-new scale armor design to a New York-based specialist. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Fan Response and Obstacles

What about the crowd? They loved the theatrical gore, soft weapons and handmade props with similar excitement as the band. “We performed a show in the Motor City and it seemed like a medieval event,” reminisces Riley with affection. “The whole crowd was in capes, animal hides, armor.”

However, this doesn’t mean, however, that life on the road as mythical wanderers has been smooth. “Everything is frequently damaged and becomes duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Moreover I’ll have countless concepts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we’re traveling in a bus with restricted capacity. It’s an interesting challenge to make it feel like a mythic tale, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

We’ve encountered additional practical issues that wouldn’t have troubled mythic characters. “We did have an ‘disastrous’ moment when we appeared at a music event in Portugal and my baggage – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “This became a worst-case scenario, because there is no an alternative version of the concert where I am without a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is gung-ho about the what’s next. “My goal is to the top – I dream of large venues,” she says. “The key element that’s deeply meaningful to me is maintaining the self-crafted look, making sure all elements is crafted by us. That’s an element I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we grow into. Additionally, I desire to make an entrance on a mythical beast each show. Remember how some artists ride bikes on stage? That, but using a unicorn.”