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Although numerous musicians have drawn from fantasy lore, only a handful have fully embraced the fantasy existence. Certainly, they might embellish their record jackets with creatures, goblins, captive women and strong fighters, but has an artist ever have to find a lost horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the depths of winter? Did a guitarist devoted hours squinting in the interior of a tour bus, mending their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Created in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have had to face these exact challenges and more as they live out their heroic dreams. Starting with heraldic, catchy anthems to stunning concerts, outfit creation, videos and album art, they’re not so much a heavy metal group as a full immersive experience.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a outfit with characters,” states singer, guitarist, blade-handler and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle travels from a packed show in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they have multiple performances in the UK this week. “We played two shows and received an offer on a Halloween gig, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. The entire setup was completely self-made, but we had so much fun and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I realized, ‘What if we could have this much fun every time?’”

The Band’s Evolution

Since then, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” alongside a pestilence physician (bassist), aristocratic undead (lead guitarist) and mysterious druid (percussionist) – never turned back. Their latest album, the band’s second album, conjures visions of famous rock groups collaborating to battle their way through a mythical painted realm – a epic masterpiece that positions them on the verge of greater success.

This album was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her bandmates. “This helped a more powerful record,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – I’d always felt a particular degree of pride as a woman in music working independently. There’ve been so many times where after a show and an audience member will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I’m like, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has expanded, so has the scope of their production design. “The saying I live by is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on path for a fine art degree before balking at the possibility of heavy loans. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to demonstrate artistic expression,” she says. “Be it crafting disguises, outfit planning, mastering post-production music videos … it’s all stuff I don’t know how to do, but it’s exciting to learn as we go.”

As if creating the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to record it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, indicating her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the vocalist learned on her own how to create armor – no mean feat, though she confessedly delegated her all-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she grins.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

What about the crowd? They loved the stage blood, toy blades and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the band. “We had a gig in the Motor City and it looked like a medieval event,” remembers Riley happily. “The whole crowd was in robes, animal hides, armor.”

This isn’t to say, though, that life on the road as fantasy adventurers has been easy. “Each item is always failing and becomes repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Moreover 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 store it into a small space.”

We’ve encountered additional practical issues that didn’t affect legendary fantasy heroes. “We experienced an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we performed at a music event in Portugal and my baggage – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because there is no an alternative version of the performance where I am without a blade.”

Future Ambitions

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is gung-ho about the future. “My goal is as far as possible – I dream of huge arenas,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is maintaining the self-crafted look, ensuring everything is handmade. This is a feature I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we grow into. Plus, I wish to ride out on a mythical beast each show. You know how famous musicians ride bikes on stage? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”