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While many artists have drawn from epic fantasy, only a handful have genuinely embodied the enchanted lifestyle. Certainly, they could decorate their album sleeves with monsters, imps, manacled maidens and brawny barbarians, but has an artist ever have to find a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a frost-covered ground in the depths of winter? Did anyone spent time squinting in the back of a tour bus, repairing their own armor?

Embracing the Mythos

Established in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have had to face such situations and others as they act out their epic fantasies. Starting with medieval-inspired, catchy anthems to stunning live shows, costume design, music videos and album art, they’re not just a heavy metal group as a total artistic immersion.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a outfit with characters,” explains vocalist, guitar player, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van speeds from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to one more in another town – they are playing five gigs in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a Halloween gig, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. The entire setup was highly handmade, but we had so much fun and the energy was unforgettable. I thought, ‘What if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

Growth of the Group

After that, the group – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a pestilence physician (bassist), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and secretive shaman (drummer) – continued forward. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, conjures visions of legendary heavy bands uniting to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a grand composition that places them on the brink of greater success.

The Bestiary was a first for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “That contributed to a more powerful record,” she says of the team effort. “I had difficulty at first – I’d always felt a specific level of accomplishment as a woman in music going it alone. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and an audience member will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I think, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

With their growing popularity has expanded, so has the scope of their stage presentation. “The saying I live by is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on course for a art school education before hesitating at the possibility of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to apply artistic expression,” she says. “From making masks, outfit planning, mastering post-production music videos … everything is I have no experience with, but it’s fun to learn on the fly.”

As if developing the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to write it down because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and sewing costumes were insufficient, the singer self-educated how to craft metal mesh – a difficult task, though she admittedly delegated her all-new scalemail look to a expert from NYC. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

As for audiences? They took to the theatrical gore, soft weapons and papier-mache rat skulls with equal enthusiasm as the musicians. “We had a concert in the Motor City and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” recalls Riley happily. “All attendees was in cloaks, sheepskin, metal wear.”

That’s not to imply, nevertheless, that life on the road as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been plain sailing. “All our gear is frequently damaged and ends up duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Plus I come up with countless concepts as to how I desire the presentation, but we’re traveling in a vehicle with limited room. It’s an interesting challenge to give the sense like a larger-than-life story, then store it into nothing.”

There have been further organizational challenges that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “We did have an ‘disastrous’ moment when we appeared at a Portuguese festival in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an different option of the concert where I am without a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is eager about the what’s next. “I aim to reach as far as possible – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The key element that’s truly essential to me is keeping the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing everything is custom-made. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we scale to. Additionally, I wish to make an entrance on a magical horse each show. You know how some artists use vehicles in concerts? That, but with a unicorn.”