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Although plenty of artists have drawn from fantasy lore, only a handful have fully embraced the enchanted lifestyle. Sure, they might decorate their album sleeves with monsters, imps, manacled maidens and muscular warriors, but has an artist ever have to recover a lost unicorn horn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Did a guitarist taken the time straining their eyes in the rear of a traveling vehicle, repairing their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Formed in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have dealt with these exact challenges and others as they embody their heroic dreams. Starting with medieval-inspired, earworm-heavy tunes to stunning performances, costume design, visuals and album art, they’re not so much a heavy metal group as a total artistic immersion.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a themed musical group,” explains vocalist, guitar player, sword-carrier and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport travels from a packed show in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they have multiple performances in the UK this week. “We played two shows and got booked on a Halloween gig, where I decided spontaneously to put on an outfit. Everything was super-DIY, but we had so much fun and the atmosphere was incredible. I thought, ‘What if we could have such enjoyment always?’”

Growth of the Group

Since then, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” together with a pestilence physician (bassist), aristocratic undead (lead guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (drummer) – never turned back. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, conjures visions of legendary heavy bands collaborating to struggle onward through a mythical painted realm – a epic masterpiece that positions them on the edge of bigger achievements.

The Bestiary was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her fellow members. “It made it a more powerful album,” she says of the group work. “It was challenging at first – I often experienced a particular degree of satisfaction as a female in music doing everything solo. There’ve been numerous occasions where I finished performing and an audience member will say, ‘The band write great riffs!’ and I think, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

With their growing popularity has grown, so has the breadth of their visual elements. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. Initially, she was on course for a university studies in art before pulling back at the possibility of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to express creativity,” she says. “Be it creating face coverings, attire creation, mastering post-production music videos … these are all things I am unfamiliar with, but it’s exciting to learn as we go.”

As if developing the ensemble’s complex backstory (“The team is pushing me to document it because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and sewing costumes were insufficient, the singer learned on her own how to craft metal mesh – no mean feat, though she admittedly delegated her completely original scalemail look to a expert from NYC. “It feels like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

Regarding the fans? They took to the theatrical gore, foam swords and handmade props with as much gusto as the musicians. “We performed a show in the Motor City and it looked like a Renaissance fair,” reminisces Riley fondly. “Everyone was in capes, animal hides, metal wear.”

This isn’t to say, however, that traveling lifestyle as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “Each item is constantly breaking and ends up duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Moreover I get countless concepts as to how I want things to look, but we’re traveling in a van with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to create the impression like a mythic tale, then store it into a small space.”

There have been further organizational challenges that would never have plagued mythic characters. “There was an ‘disastrous’ moment when we played SonicBlast festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because there’s not an alternative version of the performance where I lack a blade.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is eager about the days to come. “My goal is all the way – let’s do huge arenas,” she says. “The main aspect that’s truly essential to me is keeping the DIY aesthetic, ensuring everything is handmade. That’s an element I want to keep true to, no matter what we achieve. Plus, I desire to ride out on a unicorn every night. Remember how some artists use vehicles in concerts? That, but with a unicorn.”