While many artists have drawn from fantasy lore, only a handful have genuinely embodied the fantasy way of life. Admittedly, they may decorate their album covers with ghouls, beasts, captive women and muscular warriors, but did a member ever needed to find a misplaced mythical horn from a frost-covered ground in the depths of winter? Has anyone taken the time squinting in the interior of a tour bus, fixing their own armor?
Created in 2019, New York’s Castle Rat have encountered these exact challenges and others as they embody their heroic dreams. From knightly, memorable songs to eye-popping live shows, outfit creation, videos and cover artwork, they’re more than a rock act as a complete sensory journey.
“Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a themed musical group,” says singer, guitar player, blade-handler and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van travels from a full-capacity concert in a German city to a second one in another town – they have five gigs in the UK this week. “Initially, we performed twice and were scheduled on a October show, where I chose at the final moment to wear a costume. It was all completely self-made, but we had a blast and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I realized, ‘Imagine if we could have this much fun at every show?’”
After that, the band – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” together with a pestilence physician (bassist), haughty vampire (guitarist) and enigmatic nature priest (rhythm keeper) – continued forward. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, evokes images of famous rock groups collaborating to battle their way through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that sets them on the edge of greater success.
The release was a first for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her collaborators. “It made it a lot stronger record,” she says of the group work. “I struggled at first – I’d always felt a specific level of pride as a woman in music going it alone. I’ve had multiple instances where I’ve got off stage and some guy will say, ‘Those guys create awesome guitar parts!’ and I’m like, ‘Wait – I created all that.’”
As the band’s stature has grown, so has the scope of their production design. “My motto is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. She was originally on track for a university studies in art before hesitating at the idea of so much debt. “The exciting part about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to express artistic expression,” she says. “From creating face coverings, attire creation, mastering post-production song visuals … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to discover in the moment.”
As if building the band’s intricate lore (“Everyone’s urging me to document it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, indicating her head) and making clothing wasn’t enough, the vocalist learned on her own how to create armor – no mean feat, though she confessedly entrusted her all-new scalemail look to a professional in the city. “It seems like actual armour,” she beams.
Regarding the fans? They embraced the fake blood, foam swords and papier-mache rat skulls with similar excitement as the group. “We performed a concert in Detroit and it resembled a medieval event,” remembers Riley fondly. “The whole crowd was in capes, wool garments, metal wear.”
However, this doesn’t mean, however, that life on the road as mythical wanderers has been plain sailing. “Each item is constantly breaking and gets repaired with tape,” Riley says. “Additionally I’ll have endless ideas as to how I desire the presentation, but we’re traveling in a van with restricted capacity. It’s an interesting challenge to make it feel like a mythic tale, then store it into a small space.”
We’ve encountered further organizational challenges that would never have plagued mythic characters. “There was an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we appeared at a music event in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – went missing,” says Riley. “It was a nightmare, because there is no an different option of the concert where I lack a blade.”
Like a true warrior queen, Riley is eager about the days to come. “I aim to reach all the way – let’s do large venues,” she says. “The key element that’s really important to me is keeping the DIY aesthetic, making sure all elements is custom-made. This is a feature I want to stay authentic to, regardless of we grow into. Plus, I wish to ride out on a magical horse each show. You know how famous musicians do the motorcycle thing? The same idea, but with a unicorn.”
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