Nox Arcana: Difference between revisions
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==References== |
==References== |
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===Interviews=== |
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*[http://www.halloweencenter.net/?p=193 Halloween Center, January 4, 2009] |
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*[http://www.metafysiko.org/index.php?module=writeit&action=read&id=40 Metafysiko (Greece), April 2008] |
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*[http://www.halloweendatabase.com/index.php?v_action=noxarcana Halloween Database, August 2007] |
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*[http://www.gnostics.com/noxarcana.html Parallel Perspectives, May 2007] |
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*[http://musicstreetjournal.com/interviews_display.cfm?id=100086 Music Street Journal, September 2006] |
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*[http://www.flamesrising.com/interview-with-joseph-vargo-artist-musician/ Flames Rising, September 2006] |
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*[http://www.noxarcana.com/interviews/perch.html The Perch, May 2006] |
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*[http://www.legendsmagazine.net/156/noxarc.htm Legends Magazine, February 2006] |
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*[http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=15479 The Gaming Report, December 2004] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 06:51, 30 August 2009
Nox Arcana |
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Nox Arcana is an American gothic horror musical group, formed in 2003 by Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski. Their music has dark overtones and bears some stylistic resemblance to certain subgenres of New Age and Gothic music. Their Winter's Knight album, released in 2005, ranked as high as #8 on the Billboard chart for Top Holiday Albums.[1] Their music is used by theme parks such as Busch Gardens, Knott's Scary Farm and Universal Studios during Halloween for scenes and haunted houses based upon Nox Arcana album themes.[2] [3]
Nox Arcana cites gothic fiction and classic horror literature as primary sources of inspiration for their concept albums. Such literary references include: H. P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, and Edgar Allan Poe. Some of their albums also make reference to medieval themes and ancient mythology. [4]
Musical characteristics
Nox Arcana is influenced by New Age, classical, and ambient music. Nox Arcana's music is melodic and moody, focusing on a dominant melody line. Instrumentation varies with each album as appropriate to the theme or time period of the album concept, and typically includes piano, bells, violin, pipe organ, harpsichord, timpani drums and other percussion. Some albums also include cymbals, lutes, acoustic guitars, bagpipes and glockenspiel, depending on the theme of a given album. Enforcing the theme and the narrative is the use of sound effects, such as, for instance, a door creaking or a pendulum swinging on the Poe-inspired Shadow of the Raven.[5]
Vocals and narratives are also used sparingly to help relate a story or serve as introduction to a musical piece, for example, the voice of "Jonathan Harker" and whispered female voices of "Dracula's brides" that beckon to the listener, a carnival barker with the indistinct sounds of an audience in the distance, or "Edgar Allan Poe" and a voice calling out from the grave after being prematurely buried, the gravelly voice of a "witch" casting a spell, and a variety of low Gregorian-style chanting and ethereal choirs.[6]
Discography
| Date of release | Title | Label | Billboard peak |
| 2003-12-15 | Darklore Manor | Monolith | |
| 2004-10-10 | Necronomicon | Monolith | |
| 2005-07-10 | Winter's Knight | Monolith | #8 |
| 2005-10-21 | Transylvania | Monolith | |
| 2006-06-06 | Carnival of Lost Souls | Monolith | |
| 2006-10-13 | Blood of Angels | Monolith | |
| 2006-11-27 | Blood of the Dragon | Monolith | |
| 2007-08-20 | Shadow of the Raven | Monolith | |
| 2008-04-30 | Grimm Tales | Monolith | |
| 2008-10-13 | Phantoms of the High Seas | Monolith | |
| 2009-06-21 | Blackthorn Asylum | Monolith |
History
Joseph Vargo is a renowned gothic-fantasy artist who has created an extensive portfolio of work ranging from album covers and books to posters, music cds, and other products that are distributed through his publishing company Monolith Graphics. [7] [8] [9] Before forming Nox Arcana in 2003, Joseph Vargo produced two albums for Midnight Syndicate but left the band in 2000 to co-write Tales From The Dark Tower, a book that follows the exploits of a vampire during the First Crusade.[10] He later published Dark Realms magazine and released a best-selling card deck, The Gothic Tarot.[11] William Piotrowski had previously written the score for a video production entitled "Ghosts of Ohio," [12] a video documentary about, Mary Ann Winkowski, a medium who inspired the CBS television show, the Ghost Whisperer.[13]
References
- ^ "Billboard Music Charts". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2007-01-27.
- ^ Koster, Rick (October 7, 2008), "Nox Arcana", The Day, New London, CT., retrieved 2008-10-12
- ^ "Interview in Gothic Gateways Magazine". October 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
- ^ "Editorial" (PDF), Echo Immortalis, pp. 31–32, Winter 2007
- ^ Valentinelli, Monica (2009-04-24). "Review of Shadow of the Raven". Flames Rising. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
- ^ Describing musical characteristics: National Gamers Guild for Darklore Manor, Temple of Dagon for Necronomicon, Christmas Reviews for Winter's Knight, Chain DLK for Transylvania , Draconis Blackthorn for Carnival of Lost Souls, Side-line for Blood of Angels, Paizo Publishing for Blood of the Dragon, Flames Rising for Shadow of the Raven, and Fangoria Musick for Phantoms of the High Seas.
- ^ Bennett, Tim (October 30, 2005), "Gothic Empire: Ten Minutes with Joseph Vargo", The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, p. L3
{{citation}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Joseph Vargo's artist portfolio
- ^ Monolith Graphics publisher's website
- ^ Vargo, Joseph (2000). Tales From The Dark Tower. Monolith Graphics. p. 280. ISBN 978-0967575605. Retrieved 2009-08-25.
{{cite book}}: Check|authorlink=value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); External link in|authorlink= - ^ Previews starred item, September 2005. The Gothic Tarot ranks #7 of 10 (above Star Wars and Batman card games)
- ^ Renaissance Magazine and Gaming Report
- ^ MSNBC article on Ghost Whisperer and Local story on Mary Ann Winkowski
Interviews
- Halloween Center, January 4, 2009
- Metafysiko (Greece), April 2008
- Halloween Database, August 2007
- Parallel Perspectives, May 2007
- Music Street Journal, September 2006
- Flames Rising, September 2006
- The Perch, May 2006
- Legends Magazine, February 2006
- The Gaming Report, December 2004