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Although plenty of artists have drawn from fantasy lore, only a handful have truly lived the enchanted lifestyle. Sure, they may embellish their record jackets with ghouls, imps, manacled maidens and brawny barbarians, but did a member ever needed to find a missing unicorn horn from a frost-covered ground in the midst of winter? Has anyone spent time peering in the back of a road transport, mending their own metal mesh?

Embracing the Mythos

Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have had to face these exact challenges and more as they act out their epic fantasies. Starting with knightly, memorable anthems to eye-popping concerts, attire styling, visuals and album art, they’re more than a rock act as a complete sensory journey.

“It wasn’t planned to be a themed musical group,” states vocalist, guitarist, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle speeds from a packed show in a German city to another in Aschaffenburg – they’re also doing several shows in the UK currently. “We played two shows and got booked on a October show, where I decided spontaneously to put on an outfit. It was all highly handmade, but we had an amazing time and the energy was unforgettable. I realized, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun always?’”

Growth of the Group

After that, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” alongside a plague doctor (low-end instrumentalist), haughty vampire (guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (drummer) – continued forward. The Bestiary, the follow-up record, conjures visions of famous rock groups joining forces to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a heroic opus that sets them on the verge of bigger achievements.

This album was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “That contributed to a much better album,” she says of the group work. “I struggled at first – I often experienced a specific level of satisfaction as a woman in music doing everything solo. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and some guy will say, ‘The other members compose cool melodies!’ and I think, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As their fame has increased, so has the breadth of their stage presentation. “My motto is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. She was originally on path for a university studies in art before hesitating at the prospect of heavy loans. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to demonstrate artistic expression,” she says. “From creating face coverings, attire creation, learning how to edit song visuals … everything is I am unfamiliar with, but it’s exciting to discover as we go.”

As if building the ensemble’s complex backstory (“The team is pushing me to record it because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and stitching garments didn’t suffice, the singer taught herself how to craft metal mesh – a challenging endeavor, though she confessedly entrusted her completely original scale armor design to a New York-based specialist. “It feels like actual armour,” she grins.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

What about the crowd? They embraced the stage blood, soft weapons and handmade props with equal enthusiasm as the group. “We had a show in Detroit and it resembled a historical festival,” remembers Riley with affection. “All attendees was in capes, animal hides, chainmail.”

This isn’t to say, though, that touring existence as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “Everything is constantly breaking and ends up duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Additionally I get numerous thoughts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we are on the move in a bus with limited room. It’s a unique problem to make it feel like a mythic tale, then store it into a small space.”

We faced additional practical issues that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “We did have an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we appeared at a music event in the European country and my suitcase – which had my sword in it – went missing,” says Riley. “It was a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an backup plan of the performance where I lack a blade.”

Goals Ahead

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is eager about the days to come. “My goal is to the top – I dream of huge arenas,” she says. “The key element that’s really important to me is maintaining the handmade style, ensuring each detail is crafted by us. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we achieve. Oh, and I desire to make an entrance on a mythical beast every night. You know how some artists ride bikes on stage? That, but with a unicorn.”