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Although many artists have taken inspiration from epic fantasy, rarely any have genuinely embodied the mythical existence. Admittedly, they could decorate their album sleeves with creatures, imps, chained damsels and strong fighters, but has any musician ever have to recover a misplaced mythical horn from a wintry landscape in the heart of winter? Has a guitarist spent time squinting in the back of a traveling vehicle, fixing their own chainmail?

Immersed in the Legend

Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have dealt with these exact challenges and additional ones as they embody their epic fantasies. Starting with medieval-inspired, memorable anthems to eye-popping performances, outfit creation, videos and album art, they’re not so much a metal band as a total artistic immersion.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a themed musical group,” states singer, guitar player, sword-wielder and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to a second one in Aschaffenburg – they have several shows in the UK this week. “We played two shows and got booked on a spooky event, where I made a last-minute decision to put on an outfit. Everything was super-DIY, but we had an amazing time and the feeling in the room was electric. I realized, ‘What if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the group – which features Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” alongside a plague doctor (low-end instrumentalist), proud bloodsucker (guitarist) and secretive shaman (rhythm keeper) – never turned back. The new record, the band’s second album, conjures visions of legendary heavy bands collaborating to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a epic masterpiece that places them on the brink of bigger achievements.

This album was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “That contributed to a more powerful album,” she says of the group work. “I struggled at first – There was a sense of a particular degree of satisfaction being a woman in music working independently. There’ve been numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and an audience member will say, ‘Those guys write great riffs!’ and I’m like, ‘Wait – I composed all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

As the band’s stature has grown, so has the scope of their production design. “The saying I live by is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. Initially, she was on track for a fine art degree before balking at the idea of heavy loans. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to express creativity,” she says. “From crafting disguises, outfit planning, mastering post-production clips … everything is I have no experience with, but it’s exciting to learn as we go.”

As if building the ensemble’s complex backstory (“Everyone’s urging me to write it down because all the ideas are,” Riley says, indicating her head) and making clothing didn’t suffice, the vocalist taught herself how to craft metal mesh – no mean feat, though she admittedly entrusted her all-new scalemail look to a expert from NYC. “It seems like actual armour,” she grins.

Fan Response and Obstacles

Regarding the fans? They loved the fake blood, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with as much gusto as the band. “We performed a gig in the Motor City and it seemed like a Renaissance fair,” remembers Riley happily. “Everyone was in capes, animal hides, armor.”

That’s not to imply, however, that traveling lifestyle as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been plain sailing. “Everything is constantly breaking and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Plus I come up with endless ideas as to how I want things to look, but we are on the move in a van with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a grand epic, then store it into nothing.”

There have been additional practical issues that would never have plagued legendary fantasy heroes. “There was an ‘disastrous’ moment when we appeared at a Portuguese festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “It was a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an different option of the concert where I don’t have a blade.”

Upcoming Plans

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is gung-ho about the what’s next. “I aim to reach to the top – I dream of large venues,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is maintaining the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing each detail is handmade. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we grow into. Additionally, I want to make an entrance on a unicorn each show. You know how famous musicians ride bikes on stage? That, but on a mythical creature.”