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While many rockers have taken inspiration from epic fantasy, few have fully embraced the fantasy lifestyle. Sure, they could decorate their record jackets with creatures, imps, chained damsels and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever been forced to recover a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Has anyone devoted hours straining their eyes in the rear of a tour bus, mending their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Established in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have encountered both these scenarios and others as they act out their heroic dreams. From knightly, memorable tunes to stunning performances, outfit creation, visuals and record designs, they’re more than a heavy metal group as a full immersive experience.

“It wasn’t planned to be a themed musical group,” states singer, guitarist, sword-wielder and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle speeds from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they have five gigs in the UK now. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a spooky event, where I decided spontaneously to wear a costume. The entire setup was super-DIY, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I thought, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment at every show?’”

Growth of the Group

After that, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” joined by a plague doctor (low-end instrumentalist), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and secretive shaman (drummer) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the follow-up record, brings to mind of classic metal icons joining forces to battle their way through a heroic art landscape – a grand composition that sets them on the edge of far grander things.

The Bestiary was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her fellow members. “This helped a more powerful record,” she says of the collaborative process. “I had difficulty at first – I often experienced a particular degree of satisfaction as a woman in music doing everything solo. There’ve been multiple instances where I’ve got off stage and a person will say, ‘Those guys create awesome guitar parts!’ and I think, ‘Listen – I composed all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As their fame has increased, so has the scope of their production design. “My philosophy is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on path for a fine art degree before balking at the idea of heavy loans. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “Be it making masks, attire creation, figuring out video editing music videos … these are all things I have no experience with, but it’s fun to discover in the moment.”

Even though building the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to record it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, indicating her head) and stitching garments wasn’t enough, the singer learned on her own how to create armor – no mean feat, though she confessedly entrusted her brand-new scale armor design to a expert from NYC. “It’s as if actual armour,” she beams.

Fan Response and Obstacles

Regarding the fans? They embraced the stage blood, toy blades and crafted rodent bones with similar excitement as the musicians. “We played a concert in the Motor City and it seemed like a medieval event,” reminisces Riley fondly. “Everyone was in robes, animal hides, armor.”

This isn’t to say, nevertheless, that touring existence as mythical wanderers has been easy. “Everything is frequently damaged and ends up fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Moreover I come up with endless ideas as to how I desire the presentation, but we are on the move in a bus with only so much space. It’s a unique problem to give the sense like a larger-than-life story, then store it into minimal luggage.”

We’ve encountered other logistical problems that would never have plagued legendary fantasy heroes. “We experienced an ‘oh shit’ moment when we performed at SonicBlast festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – got lost,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because there is no an backup plan of the concert where I lack a blade.”

Future Ambitions

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the future. “I want to go to the top – let’s do stadiums,” she says. “The key element that’s truly essential to me is preserving the handmade style, ensuring all elements is crafted by us. It’s a component I want to keep true to, no matter what we grow into. Plus, I wish to ride out on a unicorn each show. Remember how legends ride bikes on stage? The same idea, but on a mythical creature.”