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Although many artists have borrowed from high fantasy, few have fully embraced the enchanted lifestyle. Admittedly, they may embellish their album covers with creatures, imps, chained damsels and strong fighters, but has an artist ever been forced to find a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a frost-covered ground in the depths of winter? Did a guitarist taken the time peering in the rear of a road transport, mending their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Formed in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have encountered both these scenarios and additional ones as they act out their grand tales. From heraldic, earworm-heavy tunes to breathtaking concerts, attire styling, videos and cover artwork, they’re not so much a rock act as a full immersive experience.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a outfit with characters,” explains singer, guitarist, blade-handler and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport speeds from a full-capacity concert in a German city to another in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing several shows in the UK this week. “We played two shows and got booked on a October show, where I decided spontaneously to dress up. Everything was highly handmade, but we had so much fun and the atmosphere was unforgettable. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have such enjoyment every time?’”

Growth of the Group

After that, the group – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” alongside a medic from history (bass player), haughty vampire (guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (rhythm keeper) – continued forward. The Bestiary, the band’s second album, brings to mind of classic metal icons collaborating to struggle onward through a Frank Frazetta fantasy world – a heroic opus that positions them on the edge of bigger achievements.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her collaborators. “It made it a lot stronger project,” she says of the collaborative process. “I had difficulty at first – I’d always felt a certain amount of pride as a woman in music going it alone. I’ve had numerous occasions where I finished performing and some guy will say, ‘The band 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 breadth of their production design. “The saying I live by is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. Initially, she was on path for a art school education before balking at the idea of so much debt. “The fun thing about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “Be it crafting disguises, outfit planning, figuring out video editing music videos … everything is I am unfamiliar with, but it’s enjoyable to discover as we go.”

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 didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to craft metal mesh – a challenging endeavor, though she admittedly delegated her completely original scale armor design to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she grins.

Fan Response and Obstacles

What about the crowd? They loved the theatrical gore, foam swords and handmade props with as much gusto as the group. “We performed a gig in the Motor City and it seemed like a historical festival,” reminisces Riley fondly. “All attendees was in capes, wool garments, armor.”

This isn’t to say, though, that touring existence as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been plain sailing. “Each item is constantly breaking and gets repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Additionally I get endless ideas as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we tour in a bus with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a grand epic, then pack it down into a small space.”

We faced further organizational challenges that would never have plagued fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we played a music event in Portugal and my baggage – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “It was a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an backup plan of the performance where I don’t have a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is enthusiastic about the days to come. “I want to go all the way – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The only thing that’s truly essential to me is maintaining the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing all elements is custom-made. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we achieve. Plus, I want to ride out on a magical horse each show. Remember how some artists use vehicles in concerts? That, but using a unicorn.”