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Although plenty of artists have drawn from high fantasy, few have genuinely embodied the fantasy way of life. Admittedly, they might adorn their album sleeves with ghouls, goblins, manacled maidens and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever have to find a lost mythical horn from a wintry landscape in the depths of winter? Has a guitarist devoted hours peering in the back of a tour bus, repairing their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Created in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with these exact challenges and additional ones as they embody their heroic dreams. Starting with knightly, catchy songs to eye-popping concerts, outfit creation, visuals and cover artwork, they’re not so much a rock act as a complete sensory journey.

“It wasn’t planned to be a themed musical group,” states vocalist, guitarist, sword-carrier and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van drives from a sold-out gig in a German city to another in another town – they’re also doing several shows in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a Halloween gig, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. Everything was highly handmade, but we had so much fun and the energy was unforgettable. I realized, ‘What if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

Growth of the Group

From that point on, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a plague doctor (bass player), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and enigmatic nature priest (drummer) – continued forward. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, conjures visions of legendary heavy bands collaborating to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that sets them on the brink of bigger achievements.

This album was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “That contributed to a lot stronger record,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a specific level of satisfaction as a female in music working independently. There have been numerous occasions where I finished performing and some guy will say, ‘The band compose cool melodies!’ and I’m like, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

As the band’s stature has increased, so has the scope of their stage presentation. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. Initially, she was on course for a university studies in art before pulling back at the prospect of heavy loans. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to apply creativity,” she says. “Be it making masks, costume design, learning how to edit music videos … it’s all stuff I am unfamiliar with, but it’s fun to learn in the moment.”

Even though building the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to document it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and stitching garments were insufficient, the singer self-educated how to make chainmail – a difficult task, though she confessedly delegated her all-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It feels like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

As for audiences? They loved the theatrical gore, soft weapons and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the band. “We had a gig in Detroit and it resembled a Renaissance fair,” reminisces Riley with affection. “Everyone was in capes, animal hides, chainmail.”

This isn’t to say, though, that traveling lifestyle as mythical wanderers has been easy. “Each item is frequently damaged and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Plus I’ll have endless ideas as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we are on the move in a vehicle with only so much space. It’s an interesting challenge to create the impression like a grand epic, then store it into minimal luggage.”

We’ve encountered further organizational challenges that didn’t affect mythic characters. “We experienced an ‘disastrous’ moment when we appeared at a Portuguese festival in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a terrible situation, because there’s not an alternative version of the concert where I don’t have a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “I aim to reach all the way – let’s do large venues,” she says. “The key element that’s deeply meaningful to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing all elements is handmade. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we achieve. Plus, I wish to appear on a magical horse every night. Think about how some artists do the motorcycle thing? That, but with a unicorn.”