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Although numerous rockers have drawn from epic fantasy, only a handful have truly lived the mythical existence. Admittedly, they might adorn their album sleeves with creatures, beasts, captive women and strong fighters, but has an artist ever have to retrieve a misplaced horn from a unicorn from a wintry landscape in the depths of winter? Has a performer taken the time straining their eyes in the back of a traveling vehicle, repairing their own metal mesh?

Embracing the Mythos

Formed in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have encountered such situations and additional ones as they embody their grand tales. From knightly, memorable anthems to stunning concerts, outfit creation, videos and album art, they’re not so much a rock act as a complete sensory journey.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a themed musical group,” says singer, guitarist, blade-handler and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle travels from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to a second one in another town – they have multiple performances in the UK currently. “We played two shows and received an offer on a spooky event, where I chose at the final moment to wear a costume. Everything was super-DIY, but we had an amazing time and the atmosphere was electric. I realized, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun at every show?’”

The Band’s Evolution

Since then, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rat Queen” together with a plague doctor (bassist), proud bloodsucker (six-string player) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the follow-up record, evokes images of classic metal icons collaborating to struggle onward through a heroic art landscape – a epic masterpiece that places them on the verge of greater success.

The Bestiary was a first for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her collaborators. “That contributed to a more powerful record,” she says of the team effort. “It was challenging at first – I’d always felt a specific level of satisfaction being a woman in music going it alone. I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and an audience member will say, ‘The other members create awesome guitar parts!’ and I think, ‘Wait – I created all that.’”

Artistry and Imagination

With their growing popularity has expanded, so has the scale of their stage presentation. “My motto is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on path for a art school education before balking at the idea of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s numerous methods to express creativity,” she says. “From 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 discover on the fly.”

Even though creating the ensemble’s complex backstory (“People are encouraging me to record it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the singer taught herself how to make chainmail – no mean feat, though she admittedly entrusted her completely original scale armor design to a New York-based specialist. “It seems like actual armour,” she beams.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

Regarding the fans? They took to the fake blood, soft weapons and handmade props with as much gusto as the band. “We performed a concert in the Motor City and it seemed like a medieval event,” reminisces Riley fondly. “The whole crowd was in capes, sheepskin, metal wear.”

This isn’t to say, however, that touring existence as mythical wanderers has been plain sailing. “Everything is frequently damaged and ends up repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Moreover I’ll have countless concepts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we’re traveling in a vehicle with limited room. It’s a fascinating test to make it feel like a grand epic, then compress it into minimal luggage.”

We faced further organizational challenges that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “We experienced an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played SonicBlast festival in Portugal and my luggage – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “This became a worst-case scenario, because there is no an alternative version of the performance where I lack a sword.”

Future Ambitions

In the spirit of a hero, Riley is eager about the what’s next. “I want to go to the top – let’s do stadiums,” she says. “The only thing that’s deeply meaningful to me is keeping the self-crafted look, guaranteeing each detail is handmade. It’s a component I want to keep true to, no matter what we achieve. Plus, I wish to make an entrance on a unicorn at all performances. Think about how some artists do the motorcycle thing? The same idea, but using a unicorn.”