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NOX
ARCANA - GOTHIC MUSIC FOR HALLOWEEN |
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Nox Arcana is renowned for creating haunting,
gothic-themed soundscapes with classic horror references,
strong literary influences, original and captivating
storylines, and hidden riddles and elaborate puzzles. The
band is the musical manifestation of gothic fantasy artist
Joseph Vargo. After successfully producing several gothic,
horror-themed concept albums for other bands, Vargo formed
Nox Arcana with fellow musician William Piotrowski in 2003.
The name Nox Arcana is derived from two Latin words, which
roughly translate to "mysteries of the night." Joseph Vargo,
composer, founder and producer, along with composer and
engineer William Piotrowski, have produced 15 Nox Arcana
albums to date.
Transylvania
Venture forth, if you dare, into the dark heart of
Transylvania, where creatures of the night lurk in the
shadows. Inspired by Bram Stoker's classic Dracula, this
musical opus truly embodies the mysterious land of vampires,
witches and werewolves. The seductive and sinister sounds
range from haunting piano, violin and harpsichord melodies
to creepy pipe organs and tolling bells. Wailing spirits
lend their ghostly voices to several tracks while gothic
choirs soar to unearthly crescendos. Sinister voices echo
from the crypt as vampires beckon you further into their
lair. Witches tell tales of dark things that prowl the
night, wolves howl beneath the full moon, bats screech and
flutter, and stone guardians warn unwary trespassers to
beware. (21 tracks. 56 mins.)
The Dark
Tower
Born of the Night, they lurk in the shadows—gargoyles of
living stone, lost souls who wander mist-shrouded
cemeteries, and vampires who dwell deep within forbidden
crypts. They are the spirits that haunt the blackest wells
of midnight—trapped between the realms of the living and the
dead, forsaken and cursed to forever dwell beneath the
shadow of The Dark Tower. Nox Arcana invites you to explore
a realm of gothic mystery, horror and romance with this dark
symphony of the night. Eerie piano and pipe organ melodies
echo through haunted halls, ghostly choirs chant to the
rhythm of tolling bells, epic orchestrations stir powerful
emotions, while the cries of wolves, ravens and restless
spirits echo in the dead of night. Joseph Vargo brings his dark
visions to life with his masterful blend of haunting
melodies, ominous orchestrations and chilling sound effects,
creating a brooding soundtrack of mystery and menace for his
Dark Tower book series. (21 tracks. 66 mins.)
Blackthorn
Asylum
Dare to explore the shadows of a forsaken sanitarium that is
haunted by the souls of the dead. High upon the rocky cliffs
overlooking the Miskatonic River, the hollow edifice of
Blackthorn Asylum stands as a bleak monument to the horrors
that once lurked within its desolate halls. Originally built
as a sanitarium for the criminally insane, the asylum gained
a grim reputation after dark rumors began to spread
throughout the area. Whispered tales told of horrible
experiments conducted upon Blackthorn's most violent and
deranged psychopaths in an attempt to extract the essence of
evil. Over the decades, the torments inflicted upon the
inmates resulted in unlocking the demons from their minds,
but as a horrific consequence, the tortuous experimentation
also unleashed the vile malediction that now infests the
abandoned corridors. This sinister soundscape offers an
interactive murder mystery, with ghostly melodies,
pulse-pounding orchestrations and spine-chilling sound
effects to set a dark, nightmarish mood. (21 tracks. 64
mins.)
Grimm
Tales
Enter the Realm of Fable, where goblins, elves and woodland
spirits dwell in the deepest shadows of the forest beneath
the wicked Witch Queen's spell of eternal darkness. Nox
Arcana invites you to immerse yourself in a haunting
soundscape of bewitching melodies, eerie sound effects and
pulse-pounding orchestrations as you explore an enchanted
land of dark fairy tales and childhood nightmares that
harken back to the fables of The Brothers Grimm. Haunting
music box melodies echo in the night, the raspy voice of an
ancient crone tells a dark bedtime story, ominous
orchestrations fill the dark forest and a wicked witch
invokes a sinister incantation. (21 tracks. 66 mins.)
Shadow of
the Raven
Delve into the haunted realms of Edgar Allan Poe, as Nox
Arcana pays tribute to the classic tales of the literary
master of the macabre with a lush musical tapestry of
Victorian elegance and Gothic nightmares—a dark treasure
that truly captures the essence of Poe's tormented soul. The
instrumental tracks cover all of Poe's most famous tales and
poems, including "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Cask
of Amontillado," and of course, "The Raven." The cd is
accompanied by a 12-page booklet filled with Joseph Vargo's
lavish artwork depicting Poe's classic horror tales, and
even offers fans a hidden "gold bug" riddle. (21 tracks. 63
mins.)
Carnival
of Lost Souls
Step this way... there's no turning back. Welcome ladies and
gentlemen to the circus of the strange, the sideshow of the
sinister and the theater of the bizarre. Cast your eyes upon
the cruel oddities of nature and behold monstrous creatures
from the depths of the abyss. Hear the dark wisdom of the
old gypsy soothsayer as she foretells of things yet to come,
and marvel with awe and dismay at unbelievable death-defying
acts that teeter on the very brink of doom. Leave the
mundane world behind, for those who visit this festival of
phantasms are never the same again. Carnival of Lost Souls delivers 21 tracks of
dark orchestrations and eerie melodies, haunting calliope,
piano and pipe organ, ghostly choirs and sinister voices
that echo from the shadows. (21 tracks. 63 mins.)
Necronomicon
The Necronomicon is said to contain the lost knowledge of
the Elder Gods, the ancient lords of darkness that held
dominion over the Earth aeons ago. Believed to hold the key
to opening forgotten gateways between worlds, the text
prophesies the return of the Great Old Ones and contains
forbidden rituals of summoning that will bring about their
resurrection. Now, for the first time ever, the Necronomicon
is set to music with this dark symphony by Nox Arcana. This
epic concept album based on H.P. Lovecraft's legendary book
of shadows features a mixture of exotic, dark fantasy
themes, ominous orchestrations, Gothic choirs, Egyptian and
Middle-Eastern melodies, eerie voices and otherworldly
chants. This musical grimoire is a spellbinding tribute to
the Cthulhu Mythos—a powerful and sinister soundtrack to
evoke your darkest nightmare. (21 tracks. 50 mins.)
Darklore
Manor
Nox Arcana invites listeners to embark on a musical journey
throughout a legendary haunted mansion with a dark and
sinister history—a place where creatures of the night lurk
in shadows and ghostly sounds echo through its unhallowed
halls. The concept of the album, which is based on the tales
of a real haunted Victorian mansion near Salem, Mass.,
centers around the mysterious deaths of its original owners,
the Darklore family, the curse that yet lingers there among
the ruins, and the later disappearance of three teenagers
who set out to hold a séance in the house on Halloween night
several years ago. This gothic soundscape of
haunting melodies, ghostly voices, Latin chants, and
foreboding orchestrations creates the perfect dark
atmosphere. (21 tracks. 51 mins.)
House of
Nightmares
Welcome to the House of Nightmares where dark things dwell,
lying in wait for anyone who dares to enter. In this old
mansion by the cemetery unearthly sounds rise from the
shadows and eerie melodies echo in the dead of night, as
sinister incantations unleash ancient horrors to haunt the
realm of the living. This CD delivers spine-tingling sound
effects and dark cinematic music to create an eerie
atmosphere of lurking terror. (19 tracks. 45 mins.)
Zombie
Influx
The dead are rising from their graves in search of human
prey. Sharpen your axes, barricade your doors! Zombie Influx
brings the living dead to your doorstep with this creepy
concept album that creates the horror and panic of a zombie
invasion through the use of frantic emergency news
broadcasts, ambient sound effect tracks and ominous
cinematic music. A lifelong fan of George Romero's classic
zombie films, as well as Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" series,
Jeff Hartz (Buzz-Works) was inspired to create Zombie Influx
as a tribute to the movies that warped his mind. Teaming
with Joseph Vargo of Nox Arcana, they set out to capture the
terror of a zombie invasion along the lines of the 1938 "War
of the Worlds" radio broadcast. The result is a dark
atmospheric soundscape that paints a bleak portrait of a
world ravaged by the living dead. (19 tracks)
Legion of
Shadows
Beyond the world of light, there exists a hidden realm where
creatures of the night revel in the beauty of darkness. Nox
Arcana invites you to enter the esoteric order of the Legion
of Shadows to explore the mysteries of the night as you
immerse yourself in a gothic soundscape of haunting
melodies, eerie sound effects and pulse-pounding, symphonic
orchestrations. The album contains a
variety of dark anthems with a theme that centers around the
mysteries of the night and it's various haunted denizens,
with an underlying story about lost love, melancholy
memories of ghosts from the past, and forlorn souls who are
empowered by embracing the darkness within. (21 Tracks, 69 mins.)
Winter's
Majesty
Return to the Realm of Ebonshire to Celebrate the Magic and
Glory of Winter. In the heart of the Ebonshire forest, the
Winter King takes his place upon the crystal throne. With a
single breath he transforms the woodlands into an enchanted
kingdom of ice and snow. Raising his staff, he summons the
four winds and sets them forth to spread his magic
throughout the land. And as the earth is covered beneath a
blanket of ivory white, the world rejoices in the wondrous
realm of winter. This album features enchanting melodies and
heartwarming songs for the holiday season, including an
instrumental version of "We Three Kings" and a ghostly
rendition of "Scarborough Fair" with original lyrics and
musical arrangements by Joseph Vargo and vocals performed by
Jeff Endemann. (21 tracks. 68 mins.)
Theater of
Illusion
Welcome to the Theater of Illusion, the legendary stage of
magic hidden beyond the threshold of dreams and nightmares.
Behold mystifying acts performed by phantom magicians and
discover the dark secrets that lie in wait beyond the veil
of shadows. Nox Arcana invites you to enter a realm of magic
and dark fantasy and immerse yourself in a soundscape of
haunting melodies, mystical rhythms and pulse-pounding
orchestrations. The setting is an old Vaudeville theater,
hidden from the outside world, where master magicians gather
to display their talents every Halloween night. The music
ranges from haunting piano and harpsichord melodies with
music box chimes to dramatic orchestrations accented by
gothic choirs and pipe organ to create a darkly exotic,
mystical and spellbinding atmosphere. (21 Tracks. 67 mins.)
Winter's
Eve
Explore a Spellbinding soundscape of Haunting Melodies and
Winter Magic. As the first snow mingles with stardust and
moonlight, an enchanted kingdom comes to life once again,
deep in the Ebonshire forest. The White Queen of Winter
returns to cast her ancient spell of slumber, and as the
woodlands drift to sleep, she watches over a tranquil realm
of wondrous dreams and memories frozen in time. The
instrumentals include piano, harp, and music box melodies,
accented with Gregorian chanting, pipe organs, violins,
acoustic guitar, and Nox Arcana's original rendition of
"Greensleeves." (21 tracks. 67 mins.)
Phantoms
of the High Seas
Hearken ye pirates and black-hearted sea dogs. Nox Arcana
beckons ye to set sail upon the haunted seas where ghost
ships prowl the misty dead of night and ancient treasure
lies buried far below the endless waves. This epic
soundscape explores the mysteries of the deep with dynamic
orchestrations, ghostly melodies, pirate anthems and gothic
choirs. (21 tracks. 68 mins.)
Blood of
the Dragon
In the time of the ancient gods, dragons ruled the skies and
kingdoms rose and fell at the end of a sword. Legendary
quests beckoned with the promise of danger and glory, and
only a brave few dared to answer the call. For honor and
vengeance they ventured forth with steel and sorcery to
combat the merciless legions of darkness. For it was said
that those who answered the call were possessed of the
warrior spirit, and the blood of the dragon flowed through
their veins. This spellbinding soundscape sets the perfect
mood, as you traverse dark kingdoms ruled by wizards and
warriors to battle alongside barbarian hordes, elven mages
and knights of legend, with powerful, chanting choirs,
medieval melodies, war horns, heavy drums, bagpipe, harp,
acoustic guitar and fiddle, with battle sound effects. These
haunting and majestic themes evoke forgotten realms, from
the stormy Celtic highlands to ancient Egyptian temples,
from mystical towering citadels to the Stygian depths of the
Underworld.
(21 tracks. 68 mins.)
Winter's
Knight
Celebrate the spirit of the season with Nox Arcana and enter
an enchanted realm of ghosts, dark angels and winter magic.
This musical ghost story follows the path of a mysterious
knight as he wanders the ruins of a haunted cathedral set in
the mythical Ebonshire forest. The arrangements on this
album incorporate acoustic guitars and mandolins to achieve
a medieval minstrel sound. Gregorian choirs, pipe organ,
chimes, and violin compliment the moody blend of original
instrumentals, while guest vocalists perform gothic
renditions of traditional holiday carols, including a
foreboding version of the lullaby "Coventry Carol," and the
minstrel's favorite "Past Time With Good Company." (21
tracks. 64 mins.)
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