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Although numerous artists have drawn from high fantasy, few have genuinely embodied the mythical lifestyle. Sure, they might embellish their record jackets with monsters, imps, captive women and muscular warriors, but has an artist ever have to retrieve a lost unicorn horn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Has a performer spent time straining their eyes in the back of a tour bus, repairing their own metal mesh?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have had to face both these scenarios and others as they act out their epic fantasies. From medieval-inspired, catchy tunes to breathtaking concerts, costume design, music videos and cover artwork, they’re more than a rock act as a total artistic immersion.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a themed musical group,” explains singer, guitar player, sword-wielder and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van drives from a sold-out gig in Cologne to another in another town – they have five gigs in the UK this week. “After a couple of performances and received an offer on a spooky event, where I decided spontaneously to wear a costume. The entire setup was completely self-made, but we had an amazing time and the energy was electric. It occurred to me, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” alongside a medic from history (bass player), haughty vampire (guitarist) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – haven’t looked back. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, brings to mind of classic metal icons uniting to struggle onward through a Frank Frazetta fantasy world – a grand composition that positions them on the verge of greater success.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her bandmates. “That contributed to a much better album,” she says of the team effort. “It was challenging at first – I’d always felt a particular degree of accomplishment as a female in music working independently. I’ve had numerous occasions where I finished performing and an audience member will say, ‘The band create awesome guitar parts!’ and I think, ‘Listen – I wrote all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As their fame has increased, so has the scope of their visual elements. “My motto is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on path for a university studies in art before balking at the idea of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to demonstrate artistic expression,” she says. “Be it making masks, outfit planning, learning how to edit music videos … everything is I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to learn in the moment.”

As if building the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to write it down because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the vocalist taught herself how to craft metal mesh – a difficult task, though she admittedly entrusted her all-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It feels like actual armour,” she grins.

Fan Response and Obstacles

Regarding the fans? They loved the stage blood, foam swords and handmade props with equal enthusiasm as the musicians. “We performed a show in Detroit and it resembled a medieval event,” recalls Riley happily. “Everyone was in robes, animal hides, metal wear.”

This isn’t to say, nevertheless, that life on the road as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “All our gear is always failing and ends up repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Additionally I’ll have countless concepts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we tour in a vehicle with limited room. It’s an interesting challenge to make it feel like a mythic tale, then compress it into minimal luggage.”

There have been additional practical issues that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “We did have an ‘oh shit’ moment when we performed at a Portuguese festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because there is no an alternative version of the performance where I am without a blade.”

Goals Ahead

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “I want to go as far as possible – let’s do large venues,” she says. “The only thing that’s really important to me is keeping the DIY aesthetic, making sure all elements is handmade. This is a feature I want to keep true to, regardless of we achieve. Additionally, I want to appear on a mythical beast every night. Think about how legends use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”