Nox Arcana's debut album, Darklore Manor, was featured as the musical score for the WB's televised special of the 1922 silent film classic, Nosferatu, and has spawned a book of original horror stories, The Legend of Darklore Manor and Other Tales of Terror. Their haunting Gothic soundtracks have also been used in theatrical productions of Bram Stokers' Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. During the Halloween season the music of Nox Arcana can be heard throughout haunted attractions and theme parks around the world, including Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Six Flags, and Knott’s Berry Farm.
In keeping with Vargo's literary interests, several concept albums pay tribute to many of his favorite authors. The darkly seductive album, Transylvania, ventures into the land of vampires, musically expounding upon Bram Stoker's Dracula. The sinister Necronomicon is brought to life in Nox Arcana's homage to H.P. Lovecraft. And the unsettling Blackthorn Asylum explores the horrors of a forsaken 19th century sanitarium with an original storyline that expands upon Lovecraft's "From Beyond." Carnival of Lost Souls takes listeners inside an old-fashioned traveling circus that harbors living nightmares and sinister secrets, in the tradition of Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes." The morbid and melancholy Shadow of the Raven pays tribute to the great Edgar Allan Poe, and the darkly enchanting Grimm Tales album brings the childhood nightmares of the Brothers Grimm to life. Theater of Illusion conjures a realm of mystery and dark magic, set in an old Vaudeville theater, hidden from the outside world, where master magicians gather to display their talents every Halloween night. The Dark Tower is a sinister symphony based on Joseph Vargo's original book series, Tales From The Dark Tower, and its sequel, Beyond The Dark Tower, which follows an epic saga of the vampire Lord Brom and his quest to solve the ancient mysteries of the accursed keep.
Nox Arcana also delves into the realms of fantasy with the medieval sword and sorcery epic, Blood of the Dragon, which stormed in at #4 on Amazon's New Age chart, and Phantoms of the High Seas, a ghostly adventure steeped in pirate lore that explores mysteries of the deep. The gothic-Christmas release Winter's Knight peaked at #8 on the Billboard Music Chart for Best Holiday Album in 2006. Winter's Eve continued the celebration of the magic and wonder of the winter season. Nox Arcana returned to the wintery realm of Ebonshire forest with Winter's Majesty, marking the third and final installment of winter-holiday albums.
Since the early stages of Blackthorn Asylum, Nox Arcana has been the solo project of Joseph Vargo, who has been the sole composer and musician on all subsequent albums, including Winter's Eve, Theater of Illusion, The Dark Tower, Winter's Majesty, Legion Of Shadows and Ebonshire. Vargo has also composed the music for two Buzz-Works CDs (Zombie Influx and House of Nightmares), as well as the musical scores for the cable series Eerie America and the upcoming computer game The Cabinets of Doctor Arcana.
As with all of Nox Arcana’s albums, the concepts and themes are of personal interest to Joseph Vargo, who also creates the lavish artwork, captivating storylines and hidden puzzles that accompany each CD. The section called The Arcanum offers entertaining information about Nox Arcana's favorite authors and arcane subjects.
Over the past decade, Nox Arcana has released a total of 18 full-length albums, comprising more than 380 compositions, and have never re-released any of their material on other albums. The latest release, Legion of Shadows, marks the band's 10 year anniversary, with 21 all new instrumental tracks dedicated to Nox Arcana's fans and all creatures of the night.
Storm
Nox Arcana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there's no trace of hope inside
I feel the Devil taking hold
And as my heart grows black and cold
There's no place I can hide
Now I've lost all self-control
You've possessed my tortured soul
I feel your venom in my veins
Your black magic's taking its toll
Now you've got your hooks in me
And there's no way to break free
I'll take your secret to my grave
For evermore, I'll be your slave
Spellbound
Woe Woe
I can't break free
From this hold you've got on me
Cause I'm spellbound
By the pricking of my thumb
Something wicked this way comes
The witching hour's drawing near
And my tragic fate is clear
You've got your claws beneath my skin
And I feel your poison sinkin' in
As I face my darkest fear
And as I stare into your eyes
There's one final thing I realize
I'll take your secret to my grave
Beyond death, I'll be your slave
Spellbound
Woe Woe
Your venom's coursing through my veins
And I can't escape these chains
Cause I'm spellbound
The lyrics of Nox Arcana's song "Storm" explore the idea of being under the influence and control of dark forces. It begins by referencing Pandora's box, a mythological container that once opened, releases all the evils into the world. The singer feels the effects of this unleashed darkness, with no trace of hope left inside. They describe a feeling of the Devil taking hold, their heart growing black and cold, and being unable to find a place to hide. It's a portrayal of feeling consumed and lost, with no self-control left.
The singer then elaborates on how they have become a slave to this darkness, with venom coursing through their veins and chains that they cannot escape. They feel spellbound, trapped by the power and control exerted by this malevolent force. The lyrics use metaphors of witchcraft and sorcery to depict the strength of the hold, mentioning "something wicked this way comes" and the impending arrival of the witching hour. The singer acknowledges their tragic fate and realizes that even in death, they will remain bound to this dark master.
The overall interpretation of these lyrics is that they symbolize the allure and danger of being tempted by forbidden desires or dark forces, and the consequences of giving in to them. It speaks to the feeling of being trapped and powerless, unable to break free from the control of something greater. It serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive consequences that can come from surrendering to darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Pandora's box is open wide
The situation has become incredibly dire and hopeless
And there's no trace of hope inside
There is absolutely no hope left
I feel the Devil taking hold
I sense an overwhelming darkness and evil taking control of me
And as my heart grows black and cold
My emotions and feelings become filled with darkness and emptiness
There's no place I can hide
There is nowhere to seek refuge or escape from this torment
Now I've lost all self-control
I have completely lost the ability to control my actions and thoughts
You've possessed my tortured soul
My soul has been taken over and tormented by your influence
I feel your venom in my veins
I am aware of the destructive and harmful influence you have on me
And I can't escape these chains
I am trapped and unable to break free from the hold you have on me
Your black magic's taking its toll
The negative effects of your dark magic are severely impacting me
Now you've got your hooks in me
You have complete control over me, like a hook digging deep into my being
And there's no way to break free
I see no possible way to liberate myself from your grasp
I'll take your secret to my grave
I am willing to keep your secret and never reveal it, even in death
For evermore, I'll be your slave
Even in eternity, I will remain subservient to you
Spellbound
Completely under your spell and control
Woe Woe
Intense sorrow and distress
I can't break free
I am unable to escape or liberate myself
From this hold you've got on me
From the powerful grip and influence you have over me
Cause I'm spellbound
Because I am completely and irresistibly captivated by your magic
By the pricking of my thumb
By the ominous and foreboding feeling within me
Something wicked this way comes
An evil force or presence is approaching
The witching hour's drawing near
The hour when dark magic and supernatural events are most potent is approaching
And my tragic fate is clear
I can see and understand the unfortunate outcome that awaits me
You've got your claws beneath my skin
You have a firm and painful grip on me, both physically and emotionally
And I feel your poison sinkin' in
I sense the toxic and destructive nature of your influence permeating through me
As I face my darkest fear
In confronting my deepest and most horrifying fear
And as I stare into your eyes
When I gaze directly into your eyes
There's one final thing I realize
I come to a final realization or understanding
I'll take your secret to my grave
Even in death, I am committed to keeping your secret
Beyond death, I'll be your slave
Even in the afterlife, I will remain under your control and serve you
Your venom's coursing through my veins
Your harmful and toxic influence is flowing intensely through me
And I can't escape these chains
I am unable to break free from the shackles that hold me
Cause I'm spellbound
Because I am entirely entranced and controlled by your magic
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Joseph Vargo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind