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Although many artists have borrowed from high fantasy, rarely any have fully embraced the enchanted way of life. Certainly, they might embellish their album covers with creatures, beasts, captive women and brawny barbarians, but has an artist ever have to recover a lost mythical horn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Did a guitarist taken the time straining their eyes in the rear of a traveling vehicle, mending their own armor?

Embracing the Mythos

Formed in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have encountered these exact challenges and others as they live out their grand tales. From heraldic, catchy anthems to eye-popping performances, costume design, music videos and album art, they’re not so much a metal band as a complete sensory journey.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a outfit with characters,” states singer, guitarist, blade-handler and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport speeds from a packed show in Cologne to another in another town – they are playing multiple performances in the UK now. “After a couple of performances and got booked on a spooky event, where I chose at the final moment to put on an outfit. Everything was completely self-made, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I thought, ‘What if we could have such enjoyment every time?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a plague doctor (bass player), aristocratic undead (lead guitarist) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the group’s sophomore release, brings to mind of famous rock groups collaborating to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that positions them on the brink of greater success.

This album was a first for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her bandmates. “That contributed to a more powerful record,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – I often experienced a specific level of accomplishment as a woman in music going it alone. There’ve been multiple instances where I’ve got off stage and an audience member will say, ‘Those guys write great riffs!’ and I think, ‘Hey – I composed all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

With their growing popularity has expanded, so has the scope of their stage presentation. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. She was originally on path for a art school education before pulling back at the idea of financial burden. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to apply artistry,” she says. “Whether it’s making masks, costume design, learning how to edit clips … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to learn in the moment.”

As if building 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 didn’t suffice, the vocalist taught herself how to make chainmail – a challenging endeavor, though she admittedly left her completely original reptilian-inspired outfit to a New York-based specialist. “It seems like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

What about the crowd? They loved the stage blood, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with as much gusto as the group. “We played a show in the Motor City and it resembled a Renaissance fair,” recalls Riley fondly. “All attendees was in robes, sheepskin, chainmail.”

That’s not to imply, however, that touring existence as fantasy adventurers has been easy. “Everything is frequently damaged and becomes repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Additionally I get endless ideas as to how I desire the presentation, but we are on the move in a van with only so much space. It’s an interesting challenge to create the impression like a mythic tale, then compress it into minimal luggage.”

There have been other logistical problems that wouldn’t have troubled mythic characters. “We experienced an ‘disastrous’ moment when we played SonicBlast festival in Portugal and my luggage – which had my sword in it – got lost,” says Riley. “This became a nightmare, because we don’t have an different option of the concert where I lack a sword.”

Goals Ahead

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is gung-ho about the days to come. “I want to go as far as possible – we should play huge arenas,” she says. “The only thing that’s truly essential to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing each detail is custom-made. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, no matter what we scale to. Plus, I want to make an entrance on a magical horse each show. Think about how some artists use vehicles in concerts? That, but on a mythical creature.”