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While plenty of artists have borrowed from fantasy lore, few have truly lived the enchanted existence. Sure, they might adorn their album sleeves with ghouls, goblins, manacled maidens and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever have to recover a lost unicorn horn from a frost-covered ground in the heart of winter? Has anyone taken the time squinting in the back of a tour bus, mending their own metal mesh?

Immersed in the Legend

Formed in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have encountered such situations and more as they act out their epic fantasies. From heraldic, memorable songs to stunning live shows, costume design, music videos and record designs, they’re not so much a metal band as a full immersive experience.

“It wasn’t planned to be a themed musical group,” explains vocalist, guitarist, blade-handler and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they are playing several shows in the UK now. “Initially, we performed twice and got booked on a October show, where I made a last-minute decision to dress up. Everything was completely self-made, but we had a blast and the energy was electric. I realized, ‘How about if we could have so much excitement every time?’”

Growth of the Group

From that point on, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” together with a medic from history (bassist), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and enigmatic nature priest (drummer) – never turned back. The new record, the band’s second album, evokes images of legendary heavy bands uniting to fight their path through a Frank Frazetta fantasy world – a heroic opus that positions them on the verge of bigger achievements.

The Bestiary was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her fellow members. “It made it a more powerful project,” she says of the group work. “It was challenging at first – I often experienced a certain amount of satisfaction as a female in music working independently. There have been so many times where I finished performing and some guy will say, ‘The band compose cool melodies!’ and I think, ‘Listen – I created all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

As the band’s stature has expanded, so has the scope of their visual elements. “The saying I live by is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. At first, she had been on track for a art school education before pulling back at the prospect of so much debt. “The fun thing about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to express creativity,” she says. “Whether it’s crafting disguises, costume design, learning how to edit music videos … everything is I don’t know how to do, but it’s exciting to discover in the moment.”

Even though building the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to document it because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the singer self-educated how to craft metal mesh – a challenging endeavor, though she confessedly left her all-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a expert from NYC. “It’s as if actual armour,” she beams.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

Regarding the fans? They loved the fake blood, soft weapons and handmade props with as much gusto as the group. “We had a show in the Motor City and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” remembers Riley happily. “Everyone was in cloaks, sheepskin, armor.”

That’s not to imply, however, that traveling lifestyle as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “Everything is constantly breaking and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Additionally I get endless ideas as to how I want things to look, but we’re traveling in a bus with only so much space. It’s a fascinating test to make it feel like a grand epic, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

There have been other logistical problems that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played a music event in the European country and my baggage – which had my sword in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because there’s not an different option of the concert where I am without a weapon.”

Upcoming Plans

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is gung-ho about the future. “I aim to reach all the way – we should play stadiums,” she says. “The only thing that’s truly essential to me is maintaining the handmade style, guaranteeing each detail is crafted by us. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we achieve. Plus, I desire to make an entrance on a unicorn each show. Think about how legends ride bikes on stage? Exactly that, but with a unicorn.”