Imagine a world where heavy metal meets high fantasy, not just in lyrics or album art, but in every stitch of chainmail, every swing of a foam sword, and every drop of fake blood. That’s the world of Castle Rat, a Brooklyn-based band that’s redefining what it means to live your epic fantasies on stage. While countless rockers have drawn inspiration from dragons, dungeons, and daring quests, few have committed to the bit like Castle Rat. Sure, you’ve seen bands slap a dragon on their album cover, but have you ever seen one retrieve a missing unicorn horn from a snowy field in winter? Or repair their own chainmail in the back of a tour bus? Didn’t think so.
Formed in 2019, Castle Rat isn’t just a band—they’re a full-blown immersive experience. From their earworm-worthy anthems to their jaw-dropping live shows, every detail is meticulously crafted to transport audiences to a world where swords and sorcery reign supreme. But here’s where it gets controversial: is this just over-the-top theatrics, or are they genuinely pushing the boundaries of what music can be? Let’s dive in.
‘Castle Rat wasn’t meant to be a costumed concept band,’ admits Riley Pinkerton, the band’s singer, guitarist, sword-wielder, and creative mastermind. It all started when they were booked for a Halloween gig, and Riley made a last-minute decision to dress up. ‘It was super DIY, but the energy in the room was electric,’ she recalls. ‘I thought, what if we could bottle that magic every single night?’ Since then, the band—featuring Pinkerton as the ‘Rat Queen,’ a plague doctor (Charley Ruddell, bass), a haughty vampire (Franco Vittore, guitar), and a mysterious druid (Joshua Strmic, drums)—has never looked back.
Their second album, The Bestiary, is a sonic journey through a Frank Frazetta painting, blending the raw power of Black Sabbath, the epic storytelling of Iron Maiden, and the bravado of Manowar. But this album also marks a turning point for Pinkerton, who opened up the creative process to her bandmates. ‘It made the album stronger,’ she admits, ‘but it was hard at first. As a woman in music, I’ve always taken pride in doing it all myself.’ And this is the part most people miss: the struggle to be recognized for your work, especially when someone assumes the guy in the band wrote the riffs. Thought-provoking, right?
As their fame grows, so does their ambition. ‘If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,’ Riley laughs, a motto that’s evident in their production design. From handmade masks to custom costumes and DIY music videos, Castle Rat is a testament to artistic expression. But it’s not all glitter and glory. Life on the road as sword-and-sorcery vagabonds comes with its challenges. ‘Everything is constantly breaking,’ Riley admits. ‘We’re duct-taping things together, trying to make it feel larger-than-life while packing it all into a van.’
Then there are the logistical nightmares. Like the time they played SonicBlast in Portugal, and Riley’s luggage—complete with her sword—got lost. ‘That was a worst-case scenario,’ she says. ‘There’s no show without the sword.’ But through it all, Riley remains unwavering in her vision. ‘I want to go all the way—stadiums, unicorns, the works,’ she declares. ‘But I’ll never lose the DIY aesthetic. Everything has to be handmade.’
And that unicorn? It’s not just a fantasy. ‘I want to ride out on a unicorn every night,’ Riley says. ‘You know how Rob Halford has his motorcycle? That, but with a unicorn.’
So, here’s the question: Is Castle Rat the future of heavy metal, or just a fantastical detour? Do their handmade costumes and epic lore elevate the genre, or is it all just a bit too much? Let us know in the comments—we’re dying to hear your take!
