The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The Shells Are Open" by the artist "Therion"

The lyrics of Therion's "The Shells Are Open" are a complex tapestry of Sumerian mythology, Jewish demonology, and elements of Kabbalah, creating an image of a mystical journey and transformation.

The song begins with the image of a female figure, perhaps the goddess Inanna, descending the world tree Huluppa into the underworld. This figure is associated with the Shedim, demonic entities, and Venus, the goddess of love and fertility, but in her nocturnal, dark aspect. The open shells can symbolize female sexuality, gateways to another world, or the process of birth.

The lyrical hero is called upon to make a journey on this tree, pass through Tantifaxath - the gate between worlds - and enter the lair of Lilith, the demoness of the night who dwells on Huluppa. Lilith, called Naamah, becomes the "queen" and guide on this journey.

The path lies "to the Moon by the moon path" - a metaphor for spiritual ascent, perhaps through the spheres of the Kabbalistic tree of life. The owl, a symbol of wisdom and a guide of souls, accompanies the hero to the Euphrates, a river often associated with the underworld.

The birth of the "child" from the "shell" is the culmination, perhaps symbolizing spiritual rebirth, associated with Klipot, the "husk of evil," which in this context can be interpreted as a womb of transformation.

The hero, likened to a Lion (strength), Serpent (wisdom, cyclicality), and Owl (spiritual vision) on the wings of Pazuzu, the demon of wind and chaos, must go through trials and return transformed, a "god."

The final lines call to "open the shell" and "free Shiva," which can be interpreted as a call to destroy the old "self" and awaken the true divine potential. The image of "the wailing women of Eden, demons in female guise," emphasizes the duality of this path: it is both terrifying and beautiful. "Tantifaxath," "the moon path," and "Malkuth" (the material world) indicate that this path leads not only to spiritual enlightenment but also to the transformation of reality.