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Although numerous rockers have borrowed from fantasy lore, only a handful have fully embraced the enchanted existence. Admittedly, they could adorn their album covers with creatures, imps, captive women and muscular warriors, but has any musician ever needed to find a missing unicorn horn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Has anyone spent time squinting in the back of a traveling vehicle, repairing their own armor?

Immersed in the Legend

Established in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have had to face such situations and others as they embody their epic fantasies. From knightly, catchy tunes to stunning performances, outfit creation, music videos and cover artwork, they’re not so much a rock act as a total artistic immersion.

“It wasn’t planned to be a outfit with characters,” says singer, guitarist, sword-carrier and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle travels from a packed show in Cologne to a second one in another town – they have five gigs in the UK now. “We played two shows and got booked on a spooky event, where I decided spontaneously to wear a costume. The entire setup was super-DIY, but we had an amazing time and the atmosphere was incredible. It occurred to me, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

From that point on, the group – which includes Pinkerton as the “Queen Rat” joined by a plague doctor (bass player), proud bloodsucker (guitarist) and secretive shaman (drummer) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the band’s second album, brings to mind of famous rock groups joining forces to fight their path through a mythical painted realm – a epic masterpiece that positions them on the verge of far grander things.

This album was a new experience for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her fellow members. “It made it a lot stronger project,” she says of the group work. “I had difficulty at first – There was a sense of a specific level of satisfaction as a female in music doing everything solo. I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and a person will say, ‘Those guys create awesome guitar parts!’ and I think, ‘Hey – I composed all that.’”

Creative Output and Ideas

As their fame has grown, so has the scope of their visual elements. “My philosophy is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. Initially, she was on track for a university studies in art before balking at the prospect of heavy loans. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to demonstrate artistry,” she says. “Whether it’s making masks, costume design, learning how to edit song visuals … everything is I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to discover in the moment.”

Even though developing the band’s intricate lore (“The team is pushing me to document it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, indicating her head) and making clothing were insufficient, the vocalist taught herself how to make chainmail – no mean feat, though she confessedly delegated her completely original reptilian-inspired outfit to a New York-based specialist. “It seems like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Fan Response and Obstacles

What about the crowd? They loved the theatrical gore, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with similar excitement as the musicians. “We played a concert in the Motor City and it seemed like a historical festival,” reminisces Riley happily. “Everyone was in robes, wool garments, metal wear.”

However, this doesn’t mean, though, that life on the road as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “All our gear is constantly breaking and ends up duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Additionally I’ll have numerous thoughts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we are on the move in a van with limited room. It’s a unique problem to create the impression like a larger-than-life story, then store it into a small space.”

We faced other logistical problems that didn’t affect fictional warriors. “There was an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we performed at SonicBlast festival in Portugal and my baggage – which had my sword in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “It was a terrible situation, because we don’t have an different option of the show where I am without a blade.”

Goals Ahead

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is eager about the what’s next. “I want to go as far as possible – we should play huge arenas,” she says. “The key element that’s deeply meaningful to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, making sure everything is custom-made. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, whatever we scale to. Additionally, I desire to ride out on a unicorn each show. Remember how famous musicians use vehicles in concerts? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”