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Although many rockers have borrowed from epic fantasy, few have truly lived the enchanted way of life. Sure, they could embellish their record jackets with monsters, beasts, chained damsels and strong fighters, but has any musician ever been forced to recover a lost horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Has a performer devoted hours squinting in the back of a road transport, mending their own chainmail?

Immersed in the Legend

Established in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have encountered such situations and more as they act out their grand tales. Starting with heraldic, earworm-heavy anthems to eye-popping performances, costume design, music videos and record designs, they’re not just a heavy metal group as a full immersive experience.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a themed musical group,” states singer, guitarist, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle travels from a sold-out gig in Cologne to a second one in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing five gigs in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a October show, where I made a last-minute decision to put on an outfit. Everything was completely self-made, but we had so much fun and the energy was unforgettable. It occurred to me, ‘How about if we could have so much excitement at every show?’”

Development of Castle Rat

From that point on, the group – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” joined by a medic from history (bass player), haughty vampire (guitarist) and mysterious druid (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. Their latest album, the follow-up record, conjures visions of classic metal icons collaborating to fight their path through a mythical painted realm – a grand composition that sets them on the brink of greater success.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her bandmates. “It made it a lot stronger album,” she says of the collaborative process. “It was challenging at first – I’d always felt a particular degree of accomplishment as a female in music doing everything solo. There have been so many times where after a show and an audience member will say, ‘Those guys write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

As the band’s stature has increased, so has the scope of their production design. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. Initially, she was on course for a fine art degree before balking at the possibility of so much debt. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “From making masks, attire creation, mastering post-production clips … these are all things I have no experience with, but it’s enjoyable to discover as we go.”

As if creating the group’s detailed mythology (“The team is pushing me to write it down because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the vocalist learned on her own how to craft metal mesh – a difficult task, though she confessedly entrusted her brand-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she beams.

Fan Response and Obstacles

As for audiences? They took to the fake blood, soft weapons and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the band. “We played a gig in the Motor City and it looked like a medieval event,” remembers Riley fondly. “The whole crowd was in capes, sheepskin, metal wear.”

That’s not to imply, nevertheless, that life on the road as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been plain sailing. “All our gear is constantly breaking and ends up repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Moreover I come up with numerous thoughts as to how I want things to look, but we are on the move in a van with only so much space. It’s a fascinating test to create the impression like a larger-than-life story, then store it into nothing.”

We faced other logistical problems that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played a music event in the European country and my luggage – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a terrible situation, because there is no an alternative version of the concert where I lack a sword.”

Goals Ahead

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the future. “My goal is all the way – we should play stadiums,” she says. “The only thing that’s really important to me is preserving the handmade style, guaranteeing each detail is custom-made. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we achieve. Oh, and I desire to make an entrance on a magical horse every night. Think about how some artists do the motorcycle thing? Exactly that, but on a mythical creature.”