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While numerous artists have borrowed from high fantasy, few have truly lived the fantasy way of life. Admittedly, they may adorn their record jackets with ghouls, goblins, chained damsels and strong fighters, but did a member ever needed to find a lost horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Did anyone taken the time squinting in the rear of a tour bus, fixing their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Established in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have encountered these exact challenges and additional ones as they live out their epic fantasies. From heraldic, earworm-heavy tunes to breathtaking performances, costume design, visuals and record designs, they’re not so much a rock act as a full immersive experience.

“It wasn’t planned to be a outfit with characters,” states vocalist, guitarist, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle speeds from a sold-out gig in a German city to one more in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing five gigs in the UK this week. “Initially, we performed twice and were scheduled on a October show, where I made a last-minute decision to dress up. It was all super-DIY, but we had so much fun and the energy was electric. It occurred to me, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment at every show?’”

Growth of the Group

From that point on, the ensemble – which features Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” alongside a pestilence physician (bass player), proud bloodsucker (lead guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. Their latest album, the follow-up record, conjures visions of classic metal icons uniting to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that places them on the verge of bigger achievements.

The release was a first for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “That contributed to a more powerful project,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – I’d always felt a certain amount of pride being a woman in music going it alone. There’ve been numerous occasions where I finished performing and a person will say, ‘The band write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

With their growing popularity has increased, so has the scale of their stage presentation. “My philosophy is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. She was originally on course for a art school education before hesitating at the prospect of financial burden. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “From making masks, attire creation, learning how to edit clips … it’s all stuff I have no experience with, but it’s fun to figure it out as we go.”

Even though building the group’s detailed mythology (“Everyone’s urging me to document it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and sewing costumes wasn’t enough, the vocalist taught herself how to create armor – no mean feat, though she confessedly left her brand-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a expert from NYC. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

As for audiences? They loved the fake blood, soft weapons and handmade props with equal enthusiasm as the group. “We had a show in Detroit and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” recalls Riley happily. “All attendees was in capes, sheepskin, armor.”

However, this doesn’t mean, however, that traveling lifestyle as mythical wanderers has been smooth. “Each item is frequently damaged and gets fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Additionally I get endless ideas as to how I desire the presentation, but we are on the move in a van with restricted capacity. It’s a unique problem to make it feel like a grand epic, then store it into a small space.”

We faced other logistical problems that didn’t affect legendary fantasy heroes. “We did have an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we performed at a music event in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a terrible situation, because there is no an backup plan of the show where I lack a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is eager about the days to come. “My goal is as far as possible – we should play large venues,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing all elements is crafted by us. This is a feature I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we grow into. Plus, I desire to ride out on a unicorn every night. You know how legends ride bikes on stage? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”