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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
H.P. Lovecraft - The Musical, April 17, 2005
A surprisingly quick second-effort by the goth-duo Nox Arcana, released well in-advance of me having fully savored the group's first release, "Darklore Manor." Many bands claim the gothic label, but Nox Arcana stands alone by not just cranking out music for haunted houses, but a soundtrack and story to be played in the mind's eye of the listener.
"Necronomicon" is a spellbinding tribute to the Cthulhu Mythos, eerily envisioned with music as effectively as H.P. Lovecraft had originally with words. Twenty-one tracks, including a few haunting narrations, stand alone for a scary-yet-majestic listening experience (I dare you to listen to this with the lights off!). However, Nox Arcana also provides not just liner notes, but a beautiful booklet with the CD (as was done with their first) that gives a background story and insight for some of the unusual styles heard on this CD.
Highlight Tracks:
* The Nameless City - A haunting trip for the ears and mind begins with this track paced to be a walk up to and through an unknown place that you would want to walk with eyes down, occassionally peeking up at things surrounding or even watching you. The last 30 seconds gives a sensation that just as you think yourself safe, you have been stopped dead in your footsteps.
* Necronomicon - The title cut returns to a darker tone and works more as a bridge piece, or perhaps the front door, to the rest of the CD.
* Temple of the Black Pharaoh - the title is reinforced by a dark soundtrack of Egyptian music, intensified by a bizarre chat, almost familiar but still unrecognizable, as if the reading of newly found hieroglifics.
* The Awakening - at a midway point, this track creates a forboding spectrum of sounds, from the beginning narration, chanting and a pulsing underscore.
* Guardian at the Gate - a meaty track of dark pomp and circumstance, echoing like a soundtrack for a haunted house breathing with the imagination of H.P. Lovecraft.
* The Stars Align - perhaps the most dynamic piece on the CD.
* Ritual of Summoning - if rituals of evil bother you, definitely skip the one (or at least turn the lights back on first).
Again, I was surprised to see a second Nox Arcana CD so soon. The distinctive cover art is done by artist Joseph Vargo, who is one half of Nox Arcana; he also does cover art for a magazine called Dark Realms. My understanding from reading other internet info is Vargo was a creative force behind another goth entity, Midnight Syndicate. Bill Piotrowski, the other half of Nox Arcana, seems to be the perfect compliment to Vargo's continuing musical vision. I'm not sure if Piotrowski has extensive experience in the music world, but Nox Arcana's sound has been very polished and bold on both CDs.
I really like this CD and the entire philosophy Nox Arcana embraces. Don't be surprised if you begin hearing this music in films. Nox Arcana gives fans of this music a "Goth Opera" experience practically ready for the stage or screen.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterful Musical Depiction Of A Terrifying Tome, September 27, 2006
Not long ere this time, we were taken on a journey through the haunted halls of a ruined Victiorian mansion, home of the notorious Darklore family. Now we are invited to once again pay heed to the call of Nox Arcana... masterful and peerless minstrels of the macabre, as they invite us to walk with them once more. This time our journey is into a horrifying yet captivating musical opus depicting the pages of the mythos long ago scrawled by H.P. Lovecraft. Before you now lies, related to us in music, the ancient tome of the Necronomicon. Do you dare to open its pages and gaze upon them?
1. Mythos - Here we stand, at the beginning of a new journey, into both terror and wonder. It is begun with the sound of a howling wind. That frigid gale seems to have a keening quality to it, a moaning sound if you like, and a touch of faint "rumbling". It is soon joined by mournful yet melodious male chorus. Over this floats another voice, that of co-composer Joseph Vargo. He assumes the role of 'storyteller' for us once more, relating for us the following preamble:
"Long before mankind existed, the Old Ones trod upon the Earth. They worshipped the elder gods and served them as slaves, but in time, the Old Ones gained the knowledge of dark magic, and dared to use their sinister powers against their masters. The wrath of the elder gods was merciless and terrible, and those who rebelled against them were banished to distant dimensions, and imprisoned within the darkest recesses of the Earth. In deathless sleep the Old Ones dream and lie in wait for the time when they shall rise again. For when the stars come right, they shall awaken from their eon-old slumber. Then shall they return to hold dominion over our world once more, bringing woe and destruction unto mankind."
2. The Nameless City - This piece to me is beautiful. It depicts for me a wondrous journey to an unknown place, both dark and splendid. The piece is begun with a melding of what sounds like flutes combined with keyboard work whose tone is strongly choral in nature. It conveys a feeling of dread and awe together. Soon, percussion and strings join in with beautiful choir to complete the piece. The pacing is not quite a march-like one, but slightly quicker... depicting travel. In my mind I visualize traversing a desert amidst a raging sandstorm, and then crossing a turbulent waterway to behold an ancient city alive with dark and brooding majesty.
3. Alhazred's Vision - This piece has a very adventurous feeling to it. It seems to be a companion piece to track two but that's a good thing. Brooding strings and purcussion are joined by the tambourine to give it a more exotic flavor. Majestic choir returns to the piece in a way that gives it a very nice completion and fleshing out.
4. Necronomicon- Here, it seems, we are given a thematic piece. Haunting keyboards and sinister choral work pay us a visit to reprise and expand on the tune from the first track, making it the "star" of this piece rather than an undercurrent to narration. This is a good thing. It depicts in music the Necronomicon itself and is a more than fitting theme for a tome whose ancient pages are replete with dark wonders and ghastly secrets.
5. Ancient Shadows - Percussion, keyboards and strings do another dance for us. Choral accents here are very strong and powerful. As I close my eyes here, I can conceive in my mind an image of a barren land with a flame-red sky, slowly being swallowed by gathering stormclouds. It's a very strong piece and a great mood-setter for the terror to come.
6. Azathoth - This piece is a description of one of what Lovecraft's mythos refers to as the Great Old Ones. We are treated to a macabre choral melody over which Joseph Vargo's own voice gently drifts telling us of this creature : "From his black throne at the center of ultimate chaos, Azathoth, lord of madness and the abyss, rules supreme over all time and space... for he is the master of all that dwells in the darkness."
7. The Black Throne - Darker and darker it seems do we get. Ominous chorals and percussion mate with keyboards and tolling bells. To me, this piece blends terror and majesty in a manner that I might only call completely flawless.
8. Nyarlahotep- Here is another descriptive piece. Once again beautiful keyboard work with choral accents joins Joseph Vargo's hypnotic narration as we hear him say: "To Nyarlahotep must all things be told, for he is the traveller between the spheres, and the messenger between the realms of the living and the dead. He shall summon forth the ancient ones, and wake them from their deathless slumber. Then shall the Elder Signs be shattered, and the lords of darkness be released."
9. Temple Of The Black Pharoah - If I had to use one word to describe this piece, that word would be exotic. It is a beautiful piece, comprised of soft keyboard wizardry and chorals, mated with Egyptian style percussion and mysterious chanting. Part of it for a while sounds like pan pipes were used, at the beginning perhaps. Again I visualize crossing a river in a rustic canoe and coming to an ancient temple, a site to inspire both terror and awe being rooted deep within the heart of any who see it.
10. Eldritch Rites - Here, we are given a dose of the ominous and the sinister. This is a "simple" piece but I say that in a good way. It is a genuinely frightening vignette, given to us in a simple manner...proving that sometimes less is indeed more. A chilling sound, a resonant gong... is joined by brooding male chorals. They are overlaid by the voice of Joseph Vargo performing what appears to be an incantion of sorts... one that seems to summon the Great Old Ones by name, to bring them back from their deathless sleep.
11. The Haunter Of The Dark - This piece to me is scary but beautiful. A tolling bell is coupled with ominous choral melody and darkly majestic keyboard work and strings. Pipe organ compliments and fits into the piece wonderfully. The impression is one of being watched and stalked by a relentless and unstoppable force. The thunderclap at the end is an awesome touch and welcome indeed. Beautiful work.
12. The Awakening - "That is not dead which can eternal lie... and with strange eons even death may die." With this famous line from Lovecraft does the hypnotic narrating voice of Joseph Vargo introduce us to this piece. Heartbeat-like percussion soon drifts in, coupled with the steady, swirling sound of strings. Compelling choir soon makes its prescence known to us. I would name this one "invigorating". It's pace is march-like, and it carries a quite epic feel.
13. Yog Sothoth- Another homage to one of the Great Old Ones. Stately percussion and a soft but deep and resonant gong are the backdrop. Joseph Vargo's narrative voice joins us once more, as if telling a chilling tale of imminent catastrophe that merely awaits the right moment to fall upon us. "From across the black seas of infinity and beyond the mists of time, Yog Sothoth watches and waits. For he is the guadian of the gateway between worlds, and he alone holds the key to unlock the gate. For when the ancient rites have been spoken, and the lords of darkness have been awakened and summoned forth, then shall the gateway between the stars open once more. Past, present, future... All are one in Yog Sothoth."
14. Guardian Of The Gate - Here, keyboards and strings begin a new waltz for us. The strings swirl about us, as if driving us closer to the heart of a violent tempest. Darkly regal choir joins in. The tempo of these choral parts in particular, provide "spikes" of tension, as if the bolts on a great portal are being ever so slowly but surely and inevitably drawn back... it is only a matter of time before our worst nightmares come to pass.
15. Lords Of Darkness- This one is comprised of steadily paced strings, percussion and tolling bells. Choral majesty gifts us with its prescence also. This brings to mind a macabre twist on a kingly procession. It further lets us know that, all too soon... our nightmares will be real.
16. Dagon - Yet another description is given to us here... a piece of heraldry. Subtle keyboard wizardry combines with a choral moan of sorts. Joseph Vargo's voice chimes in once more: "Behold mighty Dagon... the great leviathan, risen from the black depths of the eternal sea. For he is the avatar of Cthulhu, who lies dreaming in deathless slumber... in his ancient temple in Ryleh."
17. The Stars Allign - Once again do ominous percussion and strings return to us here. Keyboards come in as well, feeling almost like horns heralding a great catastrophe. Snare drums make an effective appearance as well. This is yet another sign that our time is running out, even faster than it appeared to be doing so beforehand.
18. Cthulhu- Yet another gripping piece of descriptive homage. Choral work reminiscent of monastic chanting is joined by Joseph Vargo narrating for us very effectively. "Hail mighty Cthulhu, High Priest of the Great Old Ones. For when the stars come right, he shall rise from his ancient tomb to signal their return. Then shall the ancient ones long ago banished to the outer spheres break free from their prisons and plunge from the stars to claim the Earth once more. For those who lurk at the threshold of our world are ever vigilant for the time of their return."
19. Rite Of Summoning- This piece is just what the title suggests. Again, it is simple, yet it is also quite chillingly effective. Joseph Vargo returns yet again. This time he assumes the role of one who summons the great Cthulhu from his deathless slumber. His vocal performance is augmented really quite nicely by keyboard work that essentially gives us a dread inducing series...
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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but not great..., December 17, 2005
I really wanted to like this CD, and I do... somewhat. But I bought it as background music for role-playing sessions and for that purpose I find it a bit lacking. The CD is only about 40 minutes long, meaning it could get repetitive over a several hour gaming session. But more importantly, the songs themselves are short, so the seemingly constant transition from one song to another is a real mood-breaker. When it comes to background music, I prefer epic-length songs (8+ minutes)that allow me to get lost in the music without constant reminders that I'm listening to a CD (Tribes of Neurot does this well).
The CD is alright... and spooky. But as an RPG tool, it doesn't work very well for me.
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