Theater of Illusion

Dreams and nightmares come alive with Vargo’s imagery of Vaudeville magicians, inspired by the magickal legacies of Crowley, H.P. Lovecraft, Levi, Gardner and other dabblers of the dark arts infused with illusionary techniques of light, dark, mirrors, smoke and glass. Theater of Illusion is the perfect Halloween CD gift for aficionados of magic, illusion, dark entertainment and meditation. 'Tis the season to give the gift of fear.

Theater of Illusion is filled with haunting melodies, eerie narrations, and splendid artistry. A pleasure as always, an elegant presentation, diabolically decorated to please the senses, and an ideal atmospheric accent to open the gates and manifest those specters from the threshold of time and space.
Draconis Blackthorne, Fangoria

It should be no surprise that Nox Arcana is a popular source of music for professional illusionists. Magicians want music that will keep their audience on the edges of their seats and Nox Arcana really delivers on their latest release, Theater of Illusion, the band's tribute to all things mystical. Most of the tracks on the cd are pulse-pounders with a lot of drive, build and tension, but there are several slower tracks filled with darkness and emotional grip. Toning down the malevolence and threat presence that permeated many of the band's other works, such as Blackthorn Asylum, this time Vargo opts for mystery over menace, but the drama, emotion and dark grandeur that personify Nox Arcana are in top form here. For background ambience in a magic show, music that will put your haunt guests on edge, or just some awesome dark tunes from the masters of the art, Theater of Illusion is a definite keeper.

If you're into the music and art of Nox Arcana then you should already know what to except just by observing the title and cover art of the band's latest cd, Theater of Illusion. This cd truly opens the gates of the mystical and obscure arts, allowing glimpses of a spellbinding nocturnal realm. Listening to this cd, you will enter the domain of shadows, feel the hypnotic effect of obscure and dark energies, and travel to mysterious realms of existence. The music is quite haunting, yet it also has several dramatic moments. Piano and symphonic orchestrations are accompanied by enchanting yet malicious female choirs and voices which float in the background. The 21 tracks balance the serene and the dynamic, creating an eerie atmosphere that is perfectly suiting for their theme. The music changes as we step from one track to another. Tracks such as ''Necromancer," "Voodoo," "Smoke and Mirrors," "Sinister Cabaret" and "Lord of Illusions" deliver the most dramatic impact. I am truly amazed, but I don't know exactly how Joseph Vargo always captures the perfect atmosphere for each individual track and musical theme, but he is definitely the master of his art! The booklet and entire layout is classic Nox Arcana, perfectly reflecting the mystical atmosphere of the album. In my humble opinion I think that Theater of Illusion is one of the most haunting and sinister albums by Nox Arcana and it could easily stand as the darkest jewel in the band's trophy shelf!

Joseph Vargo is a master of creating interesting melodies and arrangements within his chosen musical vernacular. This time the concept (all these albums have a theme to them) is about magic, the art form. I heartily recommend this disc, as I recommend all the albums from Nox Arcana.

I've followed Nox Arcana for a long time and I own every one of their masterful songs. Their music is outstandingly epic, imaginative, haunting, yet very pleasant and relaxing to the ear. Each of their albums is different and better than the preceeding, yet Theater of Illusion might transcend even Nox Arcana's famous Transylvania. Focusing mostly on bells and pianos, my personal favorite instruments that Nox Arcana incorporates, Theater of Illusion combines evil and innocence into one and invokes the hauntingly peaceful feeling of death. Differently yet effectively illustrating the drama of the theater, this album takes you to the edge of darkness itself and you feel as if you are sitting in the front row seat. In my opinion, every single track is absolutely excellent, yet my personal favorites are Cobwebs, The Crimson Hourglass, Shadowplay, The Swords of Kali, and of course, the two gems of the album, The Prestige and Necromancer. I hope you enjoy these excellent pieces as much as I... Theater of Illusion is one of a kind, setting the stage and opening the curtain for your imagination to run wild.

This sounds similiar to previous Nox Arcana CDs but it's still different. I personally think it's one of the best. My favorite is "Forgotten Dreams" because it's the most hauntingly beautiful track on this disc. I would suggest this CD to anyone who has an imagination because that's what gets to work as soon as i listen to this. I hope you find the same effect. Overall, each album Nox Arcana puts out has a different theme associated with it and therefore it has a slighly different sound. This sound has a haunting mysterious magical feel to it that i think anyone with a brain would enjoy :-)