While numerous artists have borrowed from high fantasy, few have genuinely embodied the enchanted way of life. Certainly, they may adorn their record jackets with monsters, beasts, captive women and brawny barbarians, but has an artist ever have to retrieve a missing unicorn horn from a snowy field in the midst of winter? Has a guitarist taken the time peering in the interior of a road transport, repairing their own metal mesh?
Embracing the Mythos
Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have had to face these exact challenges and others as they live out their grand tales. From heraldic, earworm-heavy anthems to breathtaking performances, outfit creation, music videos and cover artwork, they’re not just a heavy metal group as a total artistic immersion.
“It wasn’t planned to be a outfit with characters,” states singer, guitarist, blade-handler and visionary Riley Pinkerton as the band’s tour van speeds from a sold-out gig in a German city to one more in Aschaffenburg – they are playing multiple performances in the UK currently. “Initially, we performed twice and were scheduled on a spooky event, where I chose at the final moment to dress up. It was all highly handmade, but we had an amazing time and the energy was unforgettable. I realized, ‘What if we could have so much excitement at every show?’”
Development of Castle Rat
After that, the group – which showcases Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” joined by a medic from history (low-end instrumentalist), aristocratic undead (six-string player) and secretive shaman (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. The new record, the group’s sophomore release, conjures visions of classic metal icons collaborating to fight their path through a heroic art landscape – a heroic opus that positions them on the brink of bigger achievements.
The Bestiary was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she opened the floor to her bandmates. “That contributed to a much better record,” she says of the collaborative process. “It was challenging at first – There was a sense of a particular degree of pride as a female in music going it alone. There have been so many times where I finished performing and a person will say, ‘The other members write great riffs!’ and I think, ‘Wait – I composed all that.’”
Artistry and Imagination
As the band’s stature has expanded, so has the scope of their production design. “My philosophy is always that if something is valuable, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton chuckles. She was originally on path for a art school education before balking at the possibility of financial burden. “The fun thing about Castle Rat is there’s so many different ways to express creativity,” she says. “Whether it’s creating face coverings, outfit planning, mastering post-production song visuals … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to figure it out in the moment.”
As if creating the ensemble’s complex backstory (“People are encouraging me to write it down because everything is stored,” Riley says, pointing to her head) and making clothing didn’t suffice, the vocalist taught herself how to craft metal mesh – a difficult task, though she admittedly delegated her all-new scalemail look to a expert from NYC. “It feels like actual armour,” she smiles proudly.
Audience Reaction and Challenges
What about the crowd? They took to the fake blood, foam swords and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the group. “We played a concert in the Motor City and it looked like a historical festival,” reminisces Riley fondly. “All attendees was in capes, sheepskin, armor.”
This isn’t to say, however, that life on the road as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “Everything is always failing and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Moreover I come up with endless ideas as to how I desire the presentation, but we are on the move in a van with restricted capacity. It’s a unique problem to create the impression like a larger-than-life story, then pack it down into nothing.”
There have been other logistical problems that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “There was an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we appeared at a music event in the European country and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a terrible situation, because there is no an backup plan of the performance where I don’t have a blade.”
Goals Ahead
In the spirit of a hero, Riley is enthusiastic about the days to come. “My goal is all the way – let’s do huge arenas,” she says. “The key element that’s deeply meaningful to me is keeping the handmade style, making sure all elements is handmade. That’s an element I want to stay authentic to, whatever we achieve. Additionally, I wish to appear on a magical horse each show. Remember how legends use vehicles in concerts? Exactly that, but on a mythical creature.”
