It’s true that metal can come from anywhere, including the flats of Salt Lake City, Utah. Since 2006 the members of Arsenic Addiction have made Victorian themed metal, kicking back bohemian style, in costume, spelling out rituals in music, lyrics and personal lives. Vocalist/keyboardist Lady Arsenic has led the charge, with her dark brooding presence and controversial, unique, and till recent private lifestyle.
With several singles and two records out, they’re relaying and designing their sound, look and eventual, return to stage presence sporting a witchier and ‘down to mother earth’ vibe, depending on how many skull n’ bones there’s room for.
If their last video from new album XIX is any indication, what’s coming next will not be able to be unseen.
Guitarist’s Tyler Gipson, James Kessler, drummer Nate Dahlquist and the Lady of arsenic allure, bring you 13 new tracks conjured over five years that no pandemic can touch.
Lady A explains how the addiction began, “When we started the band in 2006, the premise was more Victorian. A lot of Victorian dyes and hair products were laced with arsenic and we went with that theme. It’s been Arsenic Addiction for 13 years so it’s hard to change our name.”
Their first video from XIX “Red” looks desert-based but was filmed in the salt flats of their home state. “Since we’re talking about fire in its element, not physical but magical, I wanted to portray it in the chaos magic form.”
Then they made the polar opposite in the recent “Maleficium” video. “We wanted that contrast, and elements. It’s more of a story. I wanted everything to be different about the video from the costumes to the aesthetics.”
High in the snow-capped mountains, they sacrificed for their art, alongside Christmas tree seekers, “It was so cold. I like to perform in my bare feet. We went up during the day and came down from filming at night. The roads would turn to ice. We nearly killed our guitarist, his car slid into the side of the mountain. People coming up to get Christmas trees, helped pull his car out of the way. We’re in our clothes and makeup and here comes these really nice people looking for trees.”
They tried not to stray too far off the road when filming. “People would drive by on their snowmobiles, stop and rubber neck. Luckily we drove everywhere, we had to go 2 ½ hours out of the city. It was incredibly cold but totally worth it.”
Headdresses gave the shoot a very ceremonial vibe, “I love black metal. I wouldn’t call Arsenic Addiction black metal but am personally a huge fan of that and fantasy, so the video’s just missing the wizard on the hilltop. I wanted the headdresses to be very ceremonial. Death is the ultimate sacrifice we make in the end. I wanted a lot of death elements and doing that with bones.”
The burning cloaked branches represented her. “We had the cloaks from the “Fire” video. Each video I want connected to each other. That was our connection to “Fire.” Think of it as a ceremonial witch burning.”
The fire dancers made her look good. “I know a little bit of that.” They made sure she didn’t burn herself alive, doing all the cool stuff.
The camera catches her in the background dancing behind the flames in evil makeup. “It’s more like a demon, think of it as me post-witch burning. The charcoal and burned flesh, I’m demon form and supernatural so to speak.”
The props you see on screen were handmade and ordered online with extra’s added between delivery and use, though they’ll let you guess, which is which. “I have made things. For “Fire” I made all the red cloaks. The skull headpiece is from a local artist. My guitarist made his headdress, which was super awesome.”
The mountain was open air to film at, no permits needed, as long as you left how you found it but you needed a permit to cut a Christmas tree down.
With nothing hooked or juiced up around them for sound, besides nature’s natural PA she quietly sang on camera. “I’d actually have to sing so our videographer could line it up right. We’re completely self-funded. We don’t have a huge sound system when we’re filming. It’s literary played on a little Bluetooth speaker in his back pocket while he films.”
The moment they got cold they jumped into their vehicles to thaw and with Covid they had to stay away from each other when filming, wearing masks when near each other. “It was literally film a part, get in the car, repeat. It was so worth it. What can we do safely? We can film in open air; we don’t have to do it all together.”
Another video is coming for “Moon & Sun” which will tie into the last video. They’re gathering costumes and elements for the shoot. “We have to get the pieces as we go.”
A hint to the concept was given at the end of “Maleficium” with the burning tarot cards. “They were costumed designed for the band, though not for professional use. “They’re paper but we had to dip them in flammable liquid for them to burn.”
On the new album, some lyrics are sung, some are growled, “The decision is made when we write the song. Sometimes the music comes first, sometimes the lyrics come first. I don’t necessarily know what I’m gonna growl or sing. I decide, I need it to be more aggressive if the music and words need to come across angrier, almost making you feel uncomfortable, then the soothing, smooth ominous tones.”
She doesn’t want to be pigeonholed in one or the other. “You need to sing or growl but not in the same song. I never understood that. I like doing both and sometimes the song warrants both. Sometimes it doesn’t have any singing and sometimes it doesn’t need growling.” She has songs on the album that are just singing and will continue to do both despite the outrage.
With XIX they’re starting over in style and sound, though they still have a dedicated core fan base. “We have awesome dedicated fans. Metal has a tiny scene compared to a lot of things, in a religious state.”
There are several instrumentals on the record, “All the instrumentals are elements and sometimes the elements need vocals like “Fire.” It’s across what you want the listener to feel and other times I felt it unnecessary for it to have vocals.”
XIX starts with “As Above,” finishing with “So Below.” Besides unconnected movie flashbacks, they’re sister songs. “”As Above” is the summoning, the beginning. There’s no screaming, it’s just supposed to lure you in, with the sweet, spirit of the forest. “So Below” is very heavy, very dark and the bookend of the album. You’re deep into the forest and the ritual, in the middle of all the power and energy.”
Water was the most difficult to write, “I sat my band down and said I wanted to write about water, they said, what does water sound like. I like to write elements in movements and “Water” starts like a quiet rainfall then a stream, then storm and finishes. That calm after the storm. They said, ok, now I get you. I said we’re gonna write about fire, what does that sound like?”
The chanting in “The Summons” is Latin for conjuring the spirits. “It’s a chanting of, calling out spirits. Come, come to me fill me with your power and light.”
“Tomb of Sleep” is a darker song describing a place where most people have been at least once at some point. “It’s a dark negative place deep within, where we go when we’re at our lowest and most vulnerable.”
It took them five years to make the record in the studio. “Then In This Moment came out with their witchy vibe and I was so excited. I think witchcraft is becoming more symbolic with women connecting with nature, their roots and natural power and that’s awesome so I’m stoked.”
The album’s numerals equal 19, “It’s symbolic of finishing and releasing in 2019. We tried to come up with a name that would encompass the whole album. It was a journey, it took so long. The end date was the most meaningful. Like, guys we did it.” They released in September, 2019 then were supposed to go on tour.
“I can’t wait to not only play shows but attend them. It’s one thing to listen to the album. It’s another to be able to psychically connect with people through your music.”
So far they’ve covered the northwest. “When we started touring many years ago we’d go out as weekend warriors or for two weeks. We’re totally self-funded. Then I got pregnant with my daughter. After having her it slowed things down and went through member changes. We decided total focus on making the new album and making it everything we wanted it to be and slow down on shows.”
They haven’t been to the West Coast and more liberal areas of California. They want to start making connections that way, even as openers creating an introductory foothold in the area.
They haven’t invaded the Bible belt yet but it’s a goal to play opening minds and eyes.
Lady Arsenic’s an amped up version of herself. “Yes, completely, originally when we did the Victorian show she was more of a character and everything not socially acceptable that I could be on stage. As years have gone by, the more I become Lady A, I’m more the amped up version of me and not just the character.”
There’s definitely some of Father Cooper in her blood, “I wouldn’t do anything as Lady A that I wouldn’t feel good about being me at the end of night. Louder, prouder, angrier, on stage I’m allowed to be those things without looking like a crazy person.”
If she had a budget for a decent stage show it would resemble the haunting details of a King Diamond or Alice Cooper stage but more witchy. I like to do rituals on stage, blood rituals, but not real blood. I bring out the demon version of me onstage with costume changes. I want to give people a visual element for the symbolism and music.”
The tracks are in a certain order, “If I want to dump stage blood on my head it has to be two or three songs from the end. Otherwise it’s just really crispy and sticky and I have to lay out a tarp so I don’t damage the stage.”
Other bands they’ve played with don’t want to go on after them feeling intimidated by their stage show. It’s their version of the early KISS years.
Arsenic lives in a very urban part of Utah, spraying all the goat heads black on the front lawn in front of very conservative neighbors for the “Maleficium” video drew unique attention. The exterior of their house is also painted black, giving flashbacks of a certain San Francisco dark dwelling. “I want to be scary enough where the kids know I’m the witch of the neighborhood and tell stories about me.”
She grew up LDS (Latter-day Saints), without religious trauma but thinks of Mormonism as the “howdy neighbor” religion.
She’s the singer of a metal band recently coming out as a polyamorous woman. It’s a reality show in the making. “Anything LGBTQ associated is just… you’re already aliened and I already dance to my own drum. It’s funny when people hear you’re not monogamous, they think it means you wanna sleep with or date everybody, which isn’t true.”
This caused tension growing up and in her adult life. “I can’t be friends with people uncomfortable with that.” People think she has magical powers of seduction luring away spouses and boyfriends which she laughs at.
She needs an emotional connection, with age came the desire for more meaningful relationships, besides physical encounters. Her openness makes people uncomfortable. “Polygamy and ethical non-monogamy involves open communication. You have to be aware of each other and consenting that you have multiple relationships.”
She’s been married 14 years, preferring one on one, separate relationships, creating more authenticity while decreasing potential jealousy.
Making her personal lifestyle public was a scary thing, “I was a little scared to do that.” She wanted to hide behind the Victorian lady fantasy she created. “Now I want to be myself and more open. If that detours people from listening fine but attracts people to say, oh I can be different and they would accept me.” In a way, it’s her Rob Halford story. “I’m so glad he’s such a huge metal icon.”
She struggled with it into her late ‘20s being told it was wrong. Everyone else got a movie romance while she got religious guilt and judged for being ‘dirty.’ “If everyone involved is of age, consenting, open and honest, they all know about each other. They can be there or leave if they want to.”
Her family had issues at first. She talked to her husband before telling them. He plays guitar in the band, working as a commercial painter, painting temples lending to a certain irony before they’re dedicated. The husband and live-in boyfriend are the breadwinners while she home schools her daughter. “If I told you my life story, you’d think it was made up.”
A huge double standard exists whether it’s a man doing it or a woman she says. “I want people to realize that there’s more than one way to be and live. It’s OK to be different.”
The rest of the year is wait and see what happens. “We just started practicing again so we’ll start writing again and gathering stuff for the next video. With summer coming they have time to repaint everything black.
They opted not to play social distanced shows holding the health of themselves and fans in higher regard. Then again, who knows, a nice blast of arsenic may be the cure for Covid. Though eventually Lady A does want to play everywhere and hopes the world chaos slows down.
Cover photo by Brian Medeiros
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