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The band's name Nox Arcana is derived from two
Latin words, which roughly translate to "mysteries of the
night." It is a great interest in ancient lore, gothic literature
and classic horror that unites these two composers, Joseph Vargo
and William Piotrowski, in their neverending quest into shadowy
and dangerous realms.
Nox Arcana's debut album, Darklore Manor, was featured
as the musical score for a New Year's Eve televised special of
the 1922 silent film classic, Nosferatu. Their darkly
seductive Transylvania, and the sinister Necronomicon
and Carnival of Lost Souls are often played during Halloween
and in haunted houses such as Busch Gardens, Knott's Scary Farms,
and Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights, and are favored
by fans of roleplaying games like Vampire: The Masquerade
and Call of Cthulhu.
But this band does not limit itself to just the Halloween season;
their gothic-Christmas release Winter's Knight hit the
Billboard Music Charts Top Ten Holiday Albums of 2006 and 2007,
and their medieval battle epic, Blood of the Dragon stormed
in at #4 on Amazon's New Age chart that same year. Nox Arcana
helped boost morale for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq, when they
contributed several cases of cds to the troops attending the
Ziggurat Games, held on June 9, 2007, the first-ever game convention
of its kind held in a war zone.
In keeping with their literary leanings, these masters of the
macabre pay tribute to their favorite authors: Bram Stoker, H.P.
Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Brothers Grimm. Their latest
release, Grimm Tales, marks Nox Arcana's 9th full-length
album in just 4 years! In addition to an extensive repertoir
of music, their concept albums feature lavish artwork, captivating
storylines and hidden riddles.
Be sure to check out the Arcanum which
offers entertaining information about Nox Arcana's favorite subjects:
Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, Vlad Tepes Dracula, fallen
angels and ghostly knights, sinister carnival attractions, and
a mysterious haunted mansion.
Joseph Vargo, composer, founder and producer of Nox Arcana, is
also an internationally acclaimed gothic fantasy artist and writer.
His artwork graces the covers of numerous magazines, books, and
cds. He began his own publishing company, Monolith Graphics,
in 1991, which is now a world leading producer of gothic and
dark-themed products. In 1998 and 1999, Vargo produced and directed
the gothic-themed albums, Born of the Night and Realm
of Shadows. In addition to music, Vargo has created various
artistic and literary projects; most notably to date is the illustrated
gothic anthology Tales from the Dark Tower and The
Gothic Tarot. The book Born of the Night: The Gothic Fantasy
Artwork of Joseph Vargo features a collection of over 100
of his paintings and illustrations from about 1988 to 2005. More
of Vargo's work can be found on the Monolith
Graphics website.
William Piotrowski, composer and engineer for Nox Arcana,
began his professional music career at the early age of 15 when
he created the musical score for an independent production entitled
"Ghosts of Ohio," a video documentary about the original
"Ghost Whisperer," now a TV series on CBS. William
plays several instruments including guitar and keyboards, and
is well versed in digital recording technology. William's interests
in the realm of the supernatural are reflected in his dark, symphonic
compositions and his expertise as a studio engineer enables him
to bring Nox Arcana's artistic visions to life. |
