With one week to go before the release of my next set, I wanted to talk a bit about why I’ve named it what I have: Venus Aversa.
The name itself comes from the first Cradle of Filth album I bought, which was named Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa. It’s a concept album focussed on the demonic dark Goddess Lilith. Lilith is a Goddess of death, lust, and female power. Cradle of Filth’s album explores Her mythos through a woman sent to a nunnery for committing the crime of unmarried sex, who eventually becomes hostess to Lilith. This album came out just as I was considering dedicating myself to Lilith and Lucifer as my main deities, and it still heavily influences my worship.
Lilith is very important to me now. She is fiercely independent, has a strong sexuality, and confidently embraces the darker parts of Herself. She is my ideal self. I may be submissive in my personal relationships, but I have equal power as my partners, my submission is something that I give consensually, is not expected automatically, and is an expression of my authentic sexual self. I feel like Lilith would approve of me doing whatever makes me feel happy. In any case, outside of playtime, I am certainly independent. I may not perfectly embody Her energy, but I feel like I do it justice as much as I can.
I had access to a real casket and human skull through a lovely friend of mine, so I felt I just had to use it for a shoot. With the theme, it screamed and moaned and panted after a dedication to Lilith, the first succubus and first vampire. Death and sex, creation and destruction: I really enjoy the interplay and tension between those extremes. We're drawn towards creatures of immense danger and beauty, despite fear and revulsion clawing in our stomachs. It’s why Victorian imagery works in horror as well as it does. The beautiful is terrifying and sublime. If I brought to obscene un-life even an ounce of that, then I have succeeded in what I set out to achieve and have made a fitting offering to Lilith.
I recommend giving the Cradle of Filth album a listen if metal is to your taste, and/or peruse the lyrics. Some of the lyrics from Mistress From The Sucking Pit are used in my set description, and the rest of the album is an absolute aural delight with some wondrously wicked wordcraft.
Sinfully yours,
Azura Rose
