🔗 Share this article ‘Every Night, I Dream of Riding a Unicorn’: Fantasy-Themed Heavy Metal Band Castle Rat Although plenty of rockers have taken inspiration from epic fantasy, rarely any have truly lived the enchanted way of life. Admittedly, they might embellish their album sleeves with monsters, imps, chained damsels and strong fighters, but has an artist ever been forced to retrieve a missing horn from a unicorn from a snowy field in the depths of winter? Has a guitarist taken the time peering in the back of a tour bus, repairing their own chainmail? Living the Fantasy Formed in 2019, Brooklyn’s Castle Rat have encountered both these scenarios and additional ones as they live out their epic fantasies. From medieval-inspired, memorable tunes to stunning performances, outfit creation, visuals and record designs, they’re not just a metal band as a complete sensory journey. “The band wasn’t intended to be a costumed concept band,” explains singer, guitarist, blade-handler and creative overlord Riley Pinkerton as the group’s vehicle drives from a packed show in Cologne to one more in Aschaffenburg – they have five gigs in the UK now. “We played two shows and received an offer on a spooky event, where I decided spontaneously to put on an outfit. Everything was highly handmade, but we had a blast and the atmosphere was electric. I realized, ‘Imagine if we could have such enjoyment always?’” Growth of the Group After that, the ensemble – which includes Pinkerton as the “Rodent Monarch” alongside a plague doctor (bass player), proud bloodsucker (lead guitarist) and mysterious druid (drummer) – continued forward. Their latest album, the follow-up record, conjures visions of famous rock groups collaborating to battle their way through a mythical painted realm – a grand composition that positions them on the edge of greater success. The release was a initial step for Pinkerton in that she invited input to her bandmates. “It made it a lot stronger project,” she says of the team effort. “I struggled at first – I often experienced a particular degree of satisfaction as a woman in music working independently. I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve got off stage and a person will say, ‘Those guys compose cool melodies!’ and I’m like, ‘Hey – I composed all that.’” Artistry and Imagination As the band’s stature has increased, so has the scope of their production design. “My motto is always that if an effort matters, it’s worth overdoing,” Pinkerton smiles. Initially, she was on track for a university studies in art before pulling back at the idea of so much debt. “What’s enjoyable about Castle Rat is there’s various avenues to apply artistic expression,” she says. “Whether it’s making masks, costume design, learning how to edit music videos … it’s all stuff I don’t know how to do, but it’s enjoyable to discover in the moment.” Even though creating the band’s intricate lore (“People are encouraging me to document it because everything is stored,” Riley says, tapping her head) and making clothing were insufficient, the singer learned on her own how to make chainmail – no mean feat, though she confessedly left her brand-new scale armor design to a professional in the city. “It feels like actual armour,” she grins. Crowd Engagement and Difficulties What about the crowd? They took to the fake blood, toy blades and handmade props with as much gusto as the band. “We played a gig in Detroit and it resembled a medieval event,” reminisces Riley fondly. “Everyone was in cloaks, wool garments, armor.” This isn’t to say, however, that touring existence as fantasy adventurers has been plain sailing. “All our gear is always failing and gets fixed temporarily,” Riley says. “Moreover I’ll have numerous thoughts as to how I want things to look, but we are on the move in a vehicle with limited room. It’s a unique problem to give the sense like a mythic tale, then pack it down into a small space.” We’ve encountered other logistical problems that wouldn’t have troubled fictional warriors. “There was an ‘uh-oh’ moment when we appeared at a music event in Portugal and my suitcase – which had my weapon in it – got lost,” says Riley. “It was a worst-case scenario, because there is no an different option of the performance where I don’t have a sword.” Goals Ahead Like a true warrior queen, Riley is enthusiastic about the what’s next. “I aim to reach all the way – we should play large venues,” she says. “The key element that’s really important to me is keeping the DIY aesthetic, making sure everything is crafted by us. It’s a component I want to remain faithful to, whatever we grow into. Plus, I wish to make an entrance on a unicorn each show. Remember how some artists use vehicles in concerts? That, but on a mythical creature.”