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Although many artists have drawn from high fantasy, few have fully embraced the fantasy existence. Certainly, they might adorn their album sleeves with ghouls, beasts, chained damsels and strong fighters, but has an artist ever have to recover a lost horn from a unicorn from a frost-covered ground in the heart of winter? Did anyone devoted hours straining their eyes in the interior of a road transport, repairing their own chainmail?

Embracing the Mythos

Established in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with both these scenarios and additional ones as they act out their heroic dreams. From heraldic, earworm-heavy anthems to breathtaking live shows, costume design, music videos and album art, they’re more than a metal band as a full immersive experience.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a costumed concept band,” says singer, guitarist, blade-handler and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle travels from a packed show in a German city to one more in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing five gigs in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and got booked on a October show, where I made a last-minute decision to put on an outfit. It was all super-DIY, but we had a blast and the atmosphere was unforgettable. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

Since then, the ensemble – which features Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a pestilence physician (bass player), haughty vampire (guitarist) and mysterious druid (rhythm keeper) – never turned back. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, evokes images of classic metal icons collaborating to battle their way through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that sets them on the brink of bigger achievements.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her bandmates. “This helped a more powerful record,” she says of the group work. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a specific level of pride being a woman in music doing everything solo. I’ve had so many times where I’ve got off stage and a person will say, ‘The band write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Hey – I created all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

With their growing popularity has increased, so has the scope of their production design. “My motto is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on path for a university studies in art before pulling back at the prospect of heavy loans. “The fun thing about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to apply artistic expression,” she says. “From crafting disguises, attire creation, learning how to edit clips … these are all things I am unfamiliar with, but it’s enjoyable to figure it out in the moment.”

Even though developing the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to record it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, indicating her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the vocalist learned on her own how to make chainmail – no mean feat, though she admittedly entrusted her brand-new scale armor design to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she beams.

Fan Response and Obstacles

As for audiences? They loved the theatrical gore, soft weapons and handmade props with as much gusto as the group. “We played a show in Detroit and it resembled a historical festival,” recalls Riley happily. “All attendees was in capes, animal hides, metal wear.”

That’s not to imply, nevertheless, that traveling lifestyle as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been plain sailing. “Each item is frequently damaged and gets fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Plus I come up with numerous thoughts as to how I desire the presentation, but we tour in a vehicle with restricted capacity. It’s a fascinating test to make it feel like a mythic tale, then store it into nothing.”

We’ve encountered further organizational challenges that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “We did have an ‘oh shit’ moment when we appeared at a music event in the European country and my luggage – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because we don’t have an alternative version of the concert where I don’t have a weapon.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is eager about the what’s next. “My goal is to the top – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s truly essential to me is maintaining the DIY aesthetic, ensuring each detail is custom-made. This is a feature I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we grow into. Plus, I desire to ride out on a magical horse every night. Think about how legends use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”