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Although many artists have borrowed from high fantasy, rarely any have fully embraced the fantasy way of life. Admittedly, they might decorate their album sleeves with ghouls, beasts, captive women and strong fighters, but has an artist ever needed to find a misplaced mythical horn from a frost-covered ground in the heart of winter? Has a guitarist spent time straining their eyes in the interior of a traveling vehicle, mending their own chainmail?

Living the Fantasy

Established in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have encountered these exact challenges and others as they act out their epic fantasies. From heraldic, catchy tunes to stunning performances, outfit creation, visuals and album art, they’re more than a rock act as a complete sensory journey.

“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a outfit with characters,” states vocalist, guitar player, blade-handler and artistic leader Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to one more in Aschaffenburg – they have five gigs in the UK this week. “Initially, we performed twice and received an offer on a October show, where I decided spontaneously to wear a costume. The entire setup was completely self-made, but we had an amazing time and the energy was unforgettable. I thought, ‘What if we could have such enjoyment at every show?’”

Development of Castle Rat

After that, the band – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” together with a medic from history (bassist), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – continued forward. The new record, the band’s second album, evokes images of famous rock groups joining forces to fight their path through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that places them on the verge of bigger achievements.

This album was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her bandmates. “This helped a lot stronger album,” she says of the group work. “I struggled at first – I’d always felt a certain amount of pride being a woman in music working independently. There’ve been so many times where I finished performing and a person will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I respond, ‘Listen – I composed all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has grown, so has the scope of their visual elements. “My motto is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on track for a university studies in art before balking at the possibility of heavy loans. “The fun thing about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to apply artistry,” she says. “From making masks, costume design, learning how to edit song visuals … these are all things I am unfamiliar with, but it’s exciting to learn on the fly.”

As if building the group’s detailed mythology (“People are encouraging me to write it down because all the ideas are,” Riley says, tapping her head) and stitching garments were insufficient, the vocalist self-educated how to create armor – a difficult task, though she confessedly left her completely original reptilian-inspired outfit to a New York-based specialist. “It feels like actual armour,” she beams.

Audience Reaction and Challenges

As for audiences? They loved the stage blood, foam swords and handmade props with as much gusto as the band. “We played a gig in Detroit and it seemed like a historical festival,” reminisces Riley fondly. “Everyone was in robes, wool garments, armor.”

However, this doesn’t mean, though, that traveling lifestyle as fantasy adventurers has been easy. “All our gear is always failing and becomes repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Plus I come up with countless concepts as to how I desire the presentation, but we tour in a van with only so much space. It’s a unique problem to give the sense like a grand epic, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

We faced additional practical issues that didn’t affect mythic characters. “There was an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we performed at a music event in the European country and my suitcase – which had my sword in it – went missing,” says Riley. “It was a worst-case scenario, because there’s not an alternative version of the show where I don’t have a weapon.”

Upcoming Plans

As a genuine leader, Riley is gung-ho about the future. “I want to go as far as possible – we should play stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s really important to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, ensuring each detail is custom-made. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we grow into. Plus, I want to ride out on a mythical beast each show. Remember how some artists use vehicles in concerts? The same idea, but on a mythical creature.”