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While numerous artists have drawn from fantasy lore, rarely any have truly lived the mythical existence. Admittedly, they could adorn their album sleeves with creatures, imps, captive women and brawny barbarians, but did a member ever have to recover a lost mythical horn from a frost-covered ground in the midst of winter? Did anyone taken the time squinting in the interior of a tour bus, repairing their own armor?

Embracing the Mythos

Created in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have had to face such situations and others as they live out their epic fantasies. Starting with medieval-inspired, earworm-heavy tunes to eye-popping performances, outfit creation, music videos and record designs, they’re not just a metal band as a full immersive experience.

“It wasn’t planned to be a themed musical group,” states vocalist, guitarist, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to a second one in another town – they are playing five gigs in the UK currently. “After a couple of performances and were scheduled on a spooky event, where I chose at the final moment to put on an outfit. Everything was super-DIY, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was incredible. I thought, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun at every show?’”

Development of Castle Rat

After that, the ensemble – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” together with a medic from history (bass player), proud bloodsucker (guitarist) and mysterious druid (percussionist) – continued forward. Their latest album, the band’s second album, brings to mind of classic metal icons collaborating to fight their path through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that positions them on the verge of bigger achievements.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her bandmates. “It made it a more powerful project,” she says of the collaborative process. “I had difficulty at first – There was a sense of a particular degree of pride as a woman in music working independently. There have been numerous occasions where after a show and some guy will say, ‘Those guys compose cool melodies!’ and I respond, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

With their growing popularity has expanded, so has the breadth of their production design. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. At first, she had been on course for a fine art degree before pulling back at the possibility of heavy loans. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to apply creativity,” she says. “From creating face coverings, costume design, figuring out video editing song visuals … everything is I have no experience with, but it’s enjoyable to learn in the moment.”

As if creating the ensemble’s complex backstory (“The team is pushing me to record it because all the ideas are,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to craft metal mesh – no mean feat, though she confessedly entrusted her completely original reptilian-inspired outfit to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she beams.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

As for audiences? They loved the theatrical gore, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with similar excitement as the group. “We played a concert in the Motor City and it resembled a Renaissance fair,” recalls Riley with affection. “Everyone was in capes, animal hides, armor.”

This isn’t to say, however, that touring existence as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “Everything is always failing and gets repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Plus I come up with numerous thoughts as to how I want things to look, but we tour in a vehicle with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a mythic tale, then pack it down into a small space.”

We’ve encountered other logistical problems that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “There was an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we played a music event in Portugal and my baggage – which had my weapon in it – went missing,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because there’s not an different option of the concert where I lack a sword.”

Goals Ahead

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is eager about the future. “I want to go as far as possible – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is keeping the handmade style, ensuring everything is handmade. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, no matter what we achieve. Additionally, I wish to ride out on a unicorn each show. Think about how legends use vehicles in concerts? That, but using a unicorn.”