Nox Arcana - "Darklore Manor" Review

Artist/ Band: Nox Arcana
Title: Darklore Manor
Label:
Year of Release: 2003/ 2007
Artist/ Band Link (click for more details)

The Review:

The first album of Nox Arcana, came in 2003 with their debut album, Darklore Manor. The two composers, Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski, takes the listener on a musical journey through a haunted house and it‘s dark secrets with sounds of pipe organs, strings, chimes, tubular bells, harpsichord, and piano. This was the beginning of Nox Arcana’s many journeys and in 2007, they decided to re-issue and remaster Darklore Manor.

The moods Nox Arcana puts forth gives the listener a sense of being in a aural nightmare, which is best played at night and in the dark for full effect. One band I’m often reminded of when I hear Nox Arcana’s music is Universe Zero and their 1313 and Hersie albums. Although Nox Arcana is more symphonic and more on the accessible side, these two bands show the ability to scare the you-know-what out of you.

I have been honored time and time again by Joseph sending me the Nox Arcana cds. I have fun listening to each of them. I feel they are as timeless as the classic horror movies of the 1950’s. Each album has to be played all the way through for the full effect. Now you wouldn’t turn off a horror film part way would you? As the others, I would implore fans of horror movie soundtracks as well as symphonic music to get your hands on Darklore Manor and prepare for a scary journey.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on March 6th, 2008

Tracks:

1. Legend

2. Darklore Manor

3. Threshold of the Dead

4. Trespassers

5. Veil of Darkness

6. Sanctuary of Shadows

7. The Grande Hall

8. Remnants

9. Phantom Procession

10. Belladonna

11. Nursery Rhyme

12. Music Box

13. The Forgotten

14. Nightmare

15. No Rest for the Wicked

16. Omen

17. Seance

18. Beyond Midnight

19. Darkness Immortal

20. Incantation

21. Resurrected

Reviewed Discography

Here are other reviews by this artist at ProgNaut.com.