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While plenty of musicians have drawn from high fantasy, few have truly lived the mythical lifestyle. Admittedly, they could adorn their record jackets with creatures, goblins, chained damsels and muscular warriors, but has an artist ever been forced to find a misplaced unicorn horn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Has a performer devoted hours straining their eyes in the rear of a road transport, mending their own metal mesh?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with these exact challenges and others as they embody their heroic dreams. From medieval-inspired, earworm-heavy tunes to stunning live shows, costume design, music videos and record designs, they’re not just a heavy metal group as a total artistic immersion.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a outfit with characters,” explains singer, guitar player, sword-wielder and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport travels from a packed show in Cologne to one more in another town – they’re also doing several shows in the UK this week. “We played two shows and got booked on a Halloween gig, where I made a last-minute decision to put on an outfit. Everything was highly handmade, but we had so much fun and the feeling in the room was electric. I realized, ‘How about if we could have so much excitement at every show?’”

The Band’s Evolution

After that, the band – which features Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” together with a pestilence physician (low-end instrumentalist), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and enigmatic nature priest (drummer) – haven’t looked back. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, brings to mind of classic metal icons joining forces to fight their path through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that places them on the verge of greater success.

This album was a first for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her collaborators. “This helped a more powerful record,” she says of the collaborative process. “It was challenging at first – There was a sense of a specific level of accomplishment as a woman in music doing everything solo. There’ve been so many times where after a show and a person will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Hey – I wrote all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

With their growing popularity has expanded, so has the breadth of their visual elements. “My motto is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on course for a fine art degree before balking at the idea of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to express artistic expression,” she says. “From crafting disguises, costume design, figuring out video editing clips … these are all things I have no experience with, but it’s exciting to discover as we go.”

As if creating the band’s intricate lore (“Everyone’s urging me to document it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, tapping her head) and stitching garments wasn’t enough, the vocalist taught herself how to create armor – a difficult task, though she confessedly left her brand-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Fan Response and Obstacles

As for audiences? They took to the fake blood, toy blades and crafted rodent bones with as much gusto as the group. “We performed a show in the Motor City and it looked like a historical festival,” reminisces Riley happily. “Everyone was in cloaks, sheepskin, chainmail.”

However, this doesn’t mean, nevertheless, that life on the road as fantasy adventurers has been smooth. “All our gear is frequently damaged and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Additionally I’ll have numerous thoughts as to how I want things to look, but we tour in a bus with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to make it feel like a grand epic, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

We’ve encountered additional practical issues that would never have plagued legendary fantasy heroes. “We experienced an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we performed at a Portuguese festival in Portugal and my luggage – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because there’s not an different option of the concert where I lack a sword.”

Goals Ahead

As a genuine leader, Riley is enthusiastic about the future. “My goal is all the way – I dream of large venues,” she says. “The main aspect that’s truly essential to me is preserving the self-crafted look, guaranteeing everything is crafted by us. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we grow into. Additionally, I desire to appear on a mythical beast every night. You know how legends use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”