Torture By Roses combines the talents of musician Abby Helasdottir and performance artist The Magdalene. Although the themes of the project range across Gnosticism and Western Magickal tradition, the focus is on the sexual, and particularly queer, undercurrents that are to be found in Christian mythology and iconography. Within what is often thought to be a prudish and intransigent religion, is a wealth of heretical ideas relating to homosexuality, transgressive sexuality, and the fluidity of gender and gender roles.

Works created by Torture By Roses included Sebastian~Salome (released as a full-length CD by Mediatrix Publishing in 2001), and Ignis Spiritus: Liber Magdalena (performed at the Darkness Gathering festival in Wellington, 2002).

Name: TORTURE BY ROSES
Description: Sacrasexual Dark Ambient and Industrial. Concerning itself with the merging of the religious and the sexual, as particularly seen in the queer interpretations of the stories of Salome, and of St. Sebastian. The sound of Torture By Roses has been compared to Zamia Lehmanni-era SPK.
Members: Abby Helasdottir, The Magdalene.
Releases: Sebastian~Salome CD (Mediatrix, 2001).
MP3 Samples: TortureByRoses@soundclick
Website: Torture By Roses

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