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Although plenty of musicians have drawn from fantasy lore, rarely any have truly lived the mythical way of life. Admittedly, they might adorn their album covers with creatures, goblins, captive women and brawny barbarians, but has an artist ever have to retrieve a lost mythical horn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Did anyone devoted hours squinting in the rear of a tour bus, mending their own chainmail?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have had to face these exact challenges and others as they act out their grand tales. Starting with knightly, earworm-heavy tunes to eye-popping performances, attire styling, music videos and record designs, they’re not so much a metal band as a complete sensory journey.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a themed musical group,” states vocalist, guitarist, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van travels from a full-capacity concert in a German city to another in another town – they’re also doing five gigs in the UK this week. “We played two shows and were scheduled on a Halloween gig, where I decided spontaneously to dress up. Everything was super-DIY, but we had so much fun and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I thought, ‘What if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

Growth of the Group

After that, the band – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” alongside a pestilence physician (low-end instrumentalist), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – never turned back. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, evokes images of classic metal icons uniting to battle their way through a mythical painted realm – a epic masterpiece that positions them on the brink of far grander things.

The release was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her collaborators. “It made it a lot stronger record,” she says of the team effort. “It was challenging at first – I often experienced a certain amount of accomplishment as a female in music going it alone. I’ve had so many times where I’ve got off stage and an audience member will say, ‘Those guys write great riffs!’ and I’m like, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

With their growing popularity has expanded, so has the breadth of their visual elements. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on path for a university studies in art before pulling back at the possibility of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to demonstrate artistic expression,” she says. “From crafting disguises, outfit planning, mastering post-production song visuals … it’s all stuff I don’t know how to do, but it’s exciting to learn in the moment.”

As if creating the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to write it down because it’s all in here,” Riley says, indicating her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the singer taught herself how to make chainmail – a difficult task, though she admittedly left her completely original scalemail look to a New York-based specialist. “It seems like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Fan Response and Obstacles

As for audiences? They embraced the theatrical gore, soft weapons and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the musicians. “We performed a show in Detroit and it resembled a Renaissance fair,” reminisces Riley happily. “Everyone was in robes, animal hides, chainmail.”

However, this doesn’t mean, however, that life on the road as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “Everything is frequently damaged and ends up repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Moreover I come up with numerous thoughts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we tour in a bus with only so much space. It’s a fascinating test to create the impression like a mythic tale, then pack it down into a small space.”

There have been other logistical problems that wouldn’t have troubled mythic characters. “There was an ‘disastrous’ moment when we performed at SonicBlast festival in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because we don’t have an backup plan of the show where I lack a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the days to come. “I want to go to the top – we should play stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is keeping the self-crafted look, making sure everything is handmade. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, whatever we achieve. Oh, and I wish to make an entrance on a mythical beast every night. Think about how famous musicians ride bikes on stage? The same idea, but on a mythical creature.”