While numerous musicians have drawn from high fantasy, only a handful have fully embraced the mythical existence. Admittedly, they could adorn their album covers with monsters, goblins, manacled maidens and brawny barbarians, but has an artist ever have to retrieve a misplaced mythical horn from a snowy field in the depths of winter? Has a performer spent time peering in the rear of a traveling vehicle, mending their own armor?
Established in 2019, the Brooklyn-based Castle Rat have dealt with such situations and others as they act out their grand tales. Starting with knightly, memorable tunes to stunning performances, costume design, 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,” explains singer, guitar player, sword-carrier and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van drives from a full-capacity concert in a German city to one more in Aschaffenburg – they are playing multiple performances in the UK currently. “We played two shows and received an offer on a spooky event, where I made a last-minute decision to wear a costume. The entire setup was super-DIY, but we had an amazing time and the feeling in the room was unforgettable. I thought, ‘How about if we could have such enjoyment at every show?’”
Since then, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a medic from history (bassist), haughty vampire (lead guitarist) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. Their latest album, the group’s sophomore release, evokes images of famous rock groups joining forces to battle their way through a mythical painted realm – a epic masterpiece that places them on the edge of bigger achievements.
The Bestiary was a first for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her fellow members. “It made it a more powerful record,” she says of the team effort. “It was challenging at first – I’d always felt a particular degree of satisfaction as a woman in music working independently. There have been so many times where after a show and some guy will say, ‘The other members create awesome guitar parts!’ and I’m like, ‘Wait – I wrote all that.’”
With their growing popularity has increased, so has the scope of their production design. “The saying I live by is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton laughs. At first, she had been on course for a fine art degree before pulling back at the possibility of so much debt. “The fun thing about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to express artistry,” she says. “Be it creating face coverings, attire creation, figuring out video editing clips … these are all things I have no experience with, but it’s enjoyable to learn as we go.”
As if developing the band’s intricate lore (“Everyone’s urging me to write it down because all the ideas are,” Riley says, tapping her head) and making clothing didn’t suffice, the vocalist self-educated how to create armor – a difficult task, though she confessedly left her completely original scalemail look to a expert from NYC. “It’s as if actual armour,” she grins.
As for audiences? They loved the theatrical gore, foam swords and handmade props with equal enthusiasm as the group. “We performed a concert in Detroit and it resembled a medieval event,” recalls Riley happily. “All attendees was in cloaks, wool garments, chainmail.”
This isn’t to say, though, that touring existence as fantasy adventurers has been smooth. “Each item is always failing and gets duct-taped together,” Riley says. “Moreover I’ll have numerous thoughts as to how I envision the aesthetics, but we tour in a vehicle with restricted capacity. It’s a fascinating test to give the sense like a mythic tale, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”
There have been additional practical issues that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “We did have an ‘oh shit’ moment when we played a Portuguese festival in the European country and my luggage – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a nightmare, because we don’t have an different option of the show where I am without a weapon.”
As a genuine leader, Riley is gung-ho about the days to come. “I want to go all the way – I dream of stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s deeply meaningful to me is maintaining the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing each detail is handmade. That’s an element I want to remain faithful to, regardless of we achieve. Plus, I wish to appear on a mythical beast each show. Think about how legends use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but on a mythical creature.”
A seasoned casino analyst with over a decade of experience in gaming strategies and industry trends.
