‘I Want to Ride Out on a Unicorn Every Night’: Fantasy-Themed Metal Band Castle Rat

Although numerous artists have taken inspiration from fantasy lore, few have truly lived the mythical existence. Admittedly, they could adorn their record jackets with ghouls, beasts, chained damsels and brawny barbarians, but has any musician ever been forced to find a missing unicorn horn from a snowy field in the heart of winter? Has a performer devoted hours straining their eyes in the rear of a traveling vehicle, mending their own armor?

Living the Fantasy

Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have dealt with these exact challenges and others as they act out their heroic dreams. Starting with knightly, catchy songs to stunning live shows, costume design, music videos and record designs, they’re not so much a rock act as a complete sensory journey.

“The band wasn’t intended to be a costumed concept band,” states singer, guitar player, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the musicians’ transport travels from a full-capacity concert in Cologne to another in Aschaffenburg – they are playing five gigs in the UK now. “We played two shows and were scheduled on a Halloween gig, where I decided spontaneously to put on an outfit. The entire setup was super-DIY, but we had an amazing time and the atmosphere was unforgettable. I realized, ‘What if we could have so much excitement always?’”

The Band’s Evolution

After that, the ensemble – which features Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” together with a pestilence physician (bass player), haughty vampire (six-string player) and mysterious druid (percussionist) – haven’t looked back. The Bestiary, the group’s sophomore release, evokes images of classic metal icons joining forces to fight their path through a mythical painted realm – a heroic opus that places them on the brink of bigger achievements.

The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she welcomed contributions to her fellow members. “That contributed to a much better album,” she says of the collaborative process. “I had difficulty at first – There was a sense of a certain amount of accomplishment as a female in music going it alone. There have been multiple instances where after a show and a person will say, ‘The other members create awesome guitar parts!’ and I think, ‘Hey – I wrote all that.’”

Artistic Expression and Vision

As their fame has increased, so has the scale of their stage presentation. “My motto is always that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. At first, she had been on path for a university studies in art before hesitating 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 making masks, outfit planning, mastering post-production music videos … these are all things I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to figure it out in the moment.”

Even though creating the band’s intricate lore (“Everyone’s urging me to record it because it’s all in here,” Riley says, indicating her head) and sewing costumes didn’t suffice, the singer learned on her own how to create armor – a difficult task, though she admittedly delegated her all-new reptilian-inspired outfit to a professional in the city. “It’s as if actual armour,” she smiles proudly.

Crowd Engagement and Difficulties

Regarding the fans? They embraced the theatrical gore, soft weapons and crafted rodent bones with equal enthusiasm as the band. “We performed a gig in the Motor City and it resembled a historical festival,” reminisces Riley with affection. “All attendees was in cloaks, animal hides, armor.”

This isn’t to say, though, that traveling lifestyle as sword’n’sorcery vagabonds has been smooth. “Each item is constantly breaking and becomes fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Plus I get endless ideas as to how I want things to look, but we’re traveling in a van with limited room. It’s an interesting challenge to give the sense like a mythic tale, then pack it down into minimal luggage.”

There have been further organizational challenges that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “There was an ‘oh shit’ moment when we appeared at a Portuguese festival in the European country and my suitcase – which had my blade in it – was misplaced,” says Riley. “That was a worst-case scenario, because we don’t have an different option of the show where I don’t have a sword.”

Future Ambitions

Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “My goal is to the top – let’s do stadiums,” she says. “The main aspect that’s truly essential to me is preserving the DIY aesthetic, guaranteeing everything is custom-made. This is a feature I want to remain faithful to, no matter what we grow into. Oh, and I wish to make an entrance on a magical horse each show. You know how famous musicians ride bikes on stage? That, but on a mythical creature.”