The bewitching music of Nox Arcana

For today’s Magical Monday, I’d like to share some wonderfully eerie and magical music. The group is Nox Arcana. They create haunting, atmospheric soundscapes with gothic themes which often follow references to classic horror literature. I find their recordings make excellent inspirational music for writing anything bewitching, dark, or fantastical. Pursuing deeper, their albums contain captivating storylines, with hidden riddles and puzzles.

 The group is a duet of Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski, formed in 2003. The group’s name, Nox Arcana, is from Latin, meaning “mysteries of the night.”

Their credits include several film scores. Their debut, "Darklore Manor," was part of a televised special of the 1922 silent film classic Nosferatu. Their gothic tracks have also been used in theatrical productions of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Lewis Carrol’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. During Halloween season their recordings provide the eerie backdrops for many haunted theme parks: Universal Studios; Busch Gardens; Six Flags; Knott’s Berry Farm.

I truly enjoy the group’s literary tributes. Their album "Transylvania" is based upon Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Their sinister "Necronomicon" recording pays homage to H.P. Lovecraft, while their unsettling Blackthorn Asylum takes a chilling look into a 19th century sanitarium, a storyline from Lovecraft’s “From Beyond.” The melancholy themes of their work "Shadow of the Raven," calls upon influences of Edgar Allan Poe. One of my favorite recordings, "Grimm Tales," enlivens the nightmares of the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale world. Inspired by classic fiction, these in turn, inspire my own writing.

This Friday, October 1st, marks the date for a new Nox Arcana release, "Welcome to the House of Nightmares," a horror soundscape just in time for the Halloween season. This promotion of this recording promises:

“Dark things dwell in the old house by the cemetery, lying in wait for anyone who dares to enter. Unearthly sounds echo from the shadows of the abandoned mansion as sinister incantations unleash ancient horrors to haunt the realm of the living. The CD delivers 19 tracks of spine-tingling sound effects and dark cinematic music to create an eerie atmosphere of lurking terror.”

To give a taste of their music, I’m sharing two videos. The first is from their most recent CD, entitled “Theater of Illusion.” In a dreamlike state, strange and mystifying acts can be heard, as they are performed by phantom magicians. Their melodies are rich with orchestrations, piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, and gothic choirs. Additional songs of Theater of Illusion may be sampled and/or you may purchase their CD at this site. http://noxarcana.com/illusion.html 

The second video is the song "Night of the Wolf" from their CD "Transylvania" and the video is from the Russian movie, Evil, directed by Oleg Fesenko.

Album Review: Jon Oliva's Pain release fantastic new album, “Festival”

As a rock/metal music reviewer, I write for the Tampa division of Examiner.com.  Here is a sample of one of my recent album reviews.

“Festival” is a terrific new recording from Jon Oliva's Pain (JOP), released today, February 19th worldwide. This Clearwater, Florida band has set a date of April 24th to celebrate their new release and kick off their support tour, at the local Bourbon Street Club in New Port Richey. Tickets are available for purchase online at the Bourbon Street Club. 


“Festival” is ten tracks, packed with energy, texture, fine songwriting and stellar musicianship. Jon's vocals remain as evil as ever. Guitars are focal, down-tuned in novel ways to create mysterious effects, evoking the dark madness of a twisted carnival atmosphere. Keyboards are used judiciously to enhance those effects.


The album opens with the track “Lies,” with a look back to the early days of Savatage when money was swindled from the band. It was written, in large part, years ago by Jon and his late brother, Criss. It alludes to the theme of a madman's festival, with the synthesizer giving touches of sick carnival sounds, offset by charging twin guitars and Jon's voice, full of devious energy. “The Evil Within” looms with dark rhythms of bass, down-tuned guitar, and thundering drumming. Jon's voice is given a wild echoing effect, riding over top of a terrific spaced-out synthesizer.


Tempo changes also provide rich variety. Crashing guitars are complemented by simple arrangements, as in the complex“Afterglow” where piano, dulcimer, and acoustic guitars accompany clean, honest vocals in its beginning. Soon, tension builds to pained vocals with thick orchestration. “Looking For Nothing” is a softer acoustic number, having layered harmonies reminiscent of the Beatles, Strawberry Fields era. Lyrically, “Winter Haven” takes a quiet look back upon a difficult journey and ahead with hope for the future. “Now” gives us tender piano and vocals, in a compelling and honest ballad about missing a loved one while on tour. As the piece grows, violins and weeping guitars sweetly accompany the unadorned vocals. So, while “Festival” follows a theme of madness, there is space for quiet introspection, a nice textural contrast.


The gems of the album include “Death Rides a Black Horse” and the title track. The composition of the former was inspired by the motto of the platoon of Jon's nephew, a soldier in Afghanistan. Masterful keyboards set an ominous tone across a pounding rhythm. Twin guitar solos twist and whine. The instrumentation is complex, using everything from snares to brass. The title song begins with crowd noises at a carnival. Jon is a divine madman, inviting them and us into his strange world of tortured souls, while the keys and guitars, darkly tuned to an open A-minor chord, whirl into a frenzy. The intrigue of his lunacy is tempting in this piece and the entire album – an exceptional recording.


Like this review? Follow my music reviews as the Tampa Metal Music Examiner on Examiner.com.