🔗 Share this article

While numerous rockers have taken inspiration from fantasy lore, rarely any have fully embraced the enchanted lifestyle. Sure, they could decorate their album sleeves with creatures, imps, captive women and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever have to find a misplaced unicorn horn from a wintry landscape in the depths of winter? Did anyone taken the time straining their eyes in the interior of a tour bus, repairing their own armor?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have dealt with both these scenarios and additional ones as they act out their grand tales. From medieval-inspired, memorable songs to breathtaking concerts, outfit creation, visuals and album art, they’re not so much a heavy metal group as a complete sensory journey.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a outfit with characters,” says vocalist, guitarist, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to a second one in another town – they’re also doing multiple performances in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and were scheduled on a spooky event, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. Everything was super-DIY, but we had so much fun and the atmosphere was electric. I realized, ‘Imagine if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

Growth of the Group

From that point on, the band – which features Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” together with a pestilence physician (bass player), proud bloodsucker (guitarist) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the follow-up record, evokes images of famous rock groups joining forces to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that places them on the verge of bigger achievements.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her fellow members. “It made it a lot stronger record,” she says of the collaborative process. “I had difficulty at first – There was a sense of a particular degree of satisfaction as a female in music working independently. There’ve been numerous occasions where I finished performing and some guy will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Wait – I created all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has expanded, so has the scale of their production design. “My philosophy is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. At first, she had been on path for a art school education before hesitating at the idea of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “From crafting disguises, costume design, learning how to edit music videos … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s fun to discover on the fly.”

Even though developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“Everyone’s urging me to record it because everything is stored,” Riley says, indicating her head) and sewing costumes wasn’t enough, the singer learned on her own how to make chainmail – no mean feat, though she confessedly entrusted her completely original scalemail look to a New York-based specialist. “It seems like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Fan Response and Obstacles

Regarding the fans? They loved the stage blood, toy blades and papier-mache rat skulls with as much gusto as the group. “We played a concert in Detroit and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” recalls Riley with affection. “Everyone was in robes, animal hides, chainmail.”

This isn’t to say, nevertheless, that touring existence as mythical wanderers has been smooth. “All our gear is frequently damaged and becomes duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Additionally I come up with endless ideas as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we’re traveling in a vehicle with only so much space. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a larger-than-life story, then pack it down into a small space.”

We’ve encountered additional practical issues that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “There was an ‘oh shit’ moment when we appeared at a Portuguese festival in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “That was a terrible situation, because there’s not an alternative version of the show where I lack a sword.”

Upcoming Plans

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is gung-ho about the future. “I want to go to the top – I dream of huge arenas,” she says. “The only thing that’s really important to me is maintaining the self-crafted look, ensuring everything is crafted by us. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, whatever we scale to. Oh, and I want to ride out on a unicorn each show. Remember how famous musicians use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”