Search - Nox Arcana :: Theater of Illusion

Mystical and Haunting

Camille Ambrose | 07/26/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hypnotic and enchanting, Theater of Illusion is truly a magician's dream. The atmospheric opening tracks conjure vivid visions of exploring a legendary haunted theater, creating an eerie mood with dark, ghostly melodies that linger in the cobwebs of your mind, but after the spellbinding "Hypnos" and powerfully dramatic "The Curtain Rises," the real show begins. The aptly titled "Sinister Cabaret" is a playful danse macabre, masterfully accented by a driving violin melody. Next, the frenzied piano rhythms of "Necromancer" lead into the grand pipe organ epic "The Mask of Arcana." "Shadow Play," "Voodoo" and "The Swords of Kali" contribute provocative and exotic rhythms to the act, while the CD comes to a dark and majestic finish with "The Prestige," "Dark Destiny" and "Lord of Illusions." Whatever concept they choose to explore, Nox Arcana always hits their mark dead center. Theater of Illusion brilliantly creates a realm of nostalgic mystique and gothic fantasy. Joseph Vargo, who has written and performed the last few Nox Arcana albums alone, also contributes his ever-amazing artwork to the accompanying CD booklet, depicting antique theater playbills, sinister masks, ancient talismans and mystical symbolism. A perfect accent to any dark stage act, Nox Arcana's Theater of Illusion is sure to set a haunting mood for any occasion. Highly recommended.

"

A magical CD of unequaled power, sit back and enjoy the show

John Rossi | Somers Point, NJ United States | 07/31/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Abracadabra.....



This word begins a mystifying and compelling journey. Often used by performers on stage to tell of the beginning of an entrancing performance, it is put to its most effective use here. The bards of the night once again paint exquisite musical pictures on the canvas of the mind . Drawing back the ornate curtain, they beckon us to behold a performance unfolding before the eye of our psyche. With another jewel in their crown, Nox Arcana take us once again deep into the darkest corners and depths of our imagination. Follow if you dare. A great and alluring spectacle is about to begin. Welcome to a place where dreams and nightmares come alive. Welcome to the:



Theater of Illusion.



1 - Abracadabra- An ancient incantation, intoned in a deep, gripping voice, is carried by a chilling violin melody that positively shivers with tension as it joins a deep bass bed of male choir mated with female voice mystical harp undercurrent. Acting as a macabre "master of ceremonies, the voice of composer Joseph Vargo bids us pay heed and indulge in the wondrous mystery we are about to behold.



"The realm of illusion is steeped in centuries of mystique and darkness. The sorcerers of ancient times were believed to possess arcane knowledge that granted them supernatural powers to command and control the forces of nature. There are those who yet practice these lost arts, performing spellbinding feats to mystify and astound mortal eyes, and if legends are to be believed, there exist an elite few who have unlocked the mysteries of the universe, to discover the untold secrets of true magic."



Blackness dances in my mind's eye, pierced by an image of mist and smoke, rising up out of the air, unveiling a long road down which we are summoned to tread. Behind it, in the darkness, looms a building ravaged by the hands of time, yet it has lost none of its nocturnal majesty Standing within that curtain of mist, an ancient figure cloaked in black takes his hat off and raises both arms as if summoning the mist, and beckoning us all to behold the wonders he will perform before us this night. The mix of violin and harp utilized here with touches of choral work, and one of the most darkly alluring and and spellbinding I have heard in years.



2 - Cobwebs - The namesakes of this piece are unveiled to our eyes by a heart-beat paced dancing piano melody, joined by a deep bass pulse, and whispers of pipe organ that call to mind an ancient succubus daring us to give in to her seductive calls to our hearts. Dared are we to brush the silken strands aside as we come closer to the grand building we had seen a glimpse of earlier, that we might get a better look at the wonders it holds. Down the ancient road, past columns that are formed of the mist through which we are walking, brushing the cobwebs aside like thick grey draperies.



3 - Nostalgia- We go hear from the tense and gripping to the hauntingly beautiful, touched with tendrils of bygone innocence. A music-box melody mixed with tender female chorals and strings do the honors. Closer yet we come, moving along a road steeped in blackness, but lighted more and more by mist, moonlight and columns of white and blue-grey smoke. In but the blink of an eye then, all is transformed, into a once beautiful and pastoral estate, the centerpiece of which is a majestic domicile nestled in beautiful gardens replete with every kind of wonder a child wold find captivating....but is it real, or all an illusion...?



4 - Forgotten Dreams- Low keyboard passages dance with creeping, then trickling piano and wistful female voice once again. Tolling vespers grip the heart. Trembling violin strings join in as the piano notes become like a rainfall, washing away the gardens, and turning them to ancient caverns through which we walk as if in sleep. The ancient building looms before us still, closer, just as majestic, but darker in look than ever. This is a place we've seen before, or so we think...but...where? Yes, in our dreams.



5 - Edge of Darkness- A pulsing, throbbing bass line glides into our being, joined the soft rumbles of thunder-like timpani, calling forth and mimicking the sound of our own heartbeat. Seductive female vocal work sings to us, daring us ever on. Even in the dark, there's a grandeur to this place that we can't draw back from We are bid through an ancient double door as we come at last to the entrance to the building we had seen before.



6 - Phantom Theater - Wistful piano and keys are joined tolling bells, choir and strings. Once we get past the door, again we are surrounded not by decay, but by ornate elegance. Called to mind for me is the opulence of a great theater with all the majesty of a cathedral with colored crystal windows, but no chapel is this. It is the place within which we will behold wonders never seen before. Bid to recline in plush crimson throne-like seats, we soon hear the master of the evening's revels.....as just for a moment, once again, everything goes black...



7 - Hypnos - A slightly moan-like choral sound floats into our ears. Joined by the soft trickling of a music box melody reminiscent of a glockenspiel or a xylophone, it carries the voice of our host, bidding us to give in to his will, and open our minds to the spectacle that will soon unfold before us. All we see at first is a pair of glowing blue eyes, like pools of dazzling but soft and subdued moonlight, but we hear him, and we cannot help to be taken in:



"Look deep into my eyes. Surrender to the sound of my voice. The world around you begins to fade. Darker... darker... gone. You have entered the shadow realm, a mysterious dimension hidden between time and space. Two grand doors stand before you, and as you approach, they open to reveal a magnificent stage, cloaked in darkness. Welcome to the theater of illusion, where dreams and nightmares come alive."



8 - The Curtain Rises - The ebony blackness to which we've been subjected now gives way with a suddenness, as if lightning had struck without a thunderclap, or perhaps with one, as light and fire for a moment touch our vision, banishing the darkness that had kept us cradled. Drumrolls and the thunder of deep percussion mix with tense vibrating strings and blended chorals to paint the picture. A bright vermilion drapery trimmed in gold stands before us, and is ever so slowly lifted, parting as our black-clad host raises both hands, and then steps back a moment.



9 - The Crimson Hourglass- The blackness in which we were draped gives way to mist and light, crimson and silver blended to illumine the place where we now sit transfixed Dancing through the light before our eyes as the title's namesake, twirling before us like a hypnotist's medallion, transfixing our senses, as a rapturous melody swirls through our being, made with tinkling chimes, and soft children's choir Tolling bells appear again, as do soft strings, lovely female vocal work, and a nice piano melody as well.. It's a beautiful arrangement that takes me back to my own younger years.



10 - Sinister Cabaret - Strings are the star here, starting with a seven-beat cello passage, mixed with violins. Percussive piano and absorbing choral work dance through the piece. This number is very much reminiscent of a ballroom promenade. The curtain is up and now our black-clad magician has put on his best and is dancing with a troupe of ghostly spectral females across the stage. Amongst the specters though is a living mortal woman beckoned from the audience and it is she whom the magician dances with. The end of the piece marks the end of her mortal life as we next see the work of the:



11 - Necromancer- A lovely, quick piano melody mixes with soaring, sweeping strings, choral mastery, tolling bells and powerful "hits" on strings. Chimes dance with the piano through the work. Now the magician stands over the body of the woman called forth from the audience, weaving his magic with elaborate hand gestures reminiscent of pantomime, as he dances and moves alone through a curtain of red mist, beckoning the girl to rise and join the troupe. She, of course, cannot resist.



12 - The Mask of Arcana - Pipe organ takes center stage hear, waltzing beautifully with soft drums, cellos, choral work, violins, and a bit of harpsichord in places. The stately promenade continues, but now, one by one, members of the audience are getting up from their seats, falling prostrate on the stage, then rising to join the dance themselves.



13 - Shadow Play- I love the bass strings in this, it calls almost a piece of rock music to mind with its tempo. It's a rapid dance of piano, bass, strings and tambourine. Through the blackness that once again cloaks the grand theater, we now see flashes of blue lightning, and the fiery forms of dragons, phoenixes and other fantastic creatures flying through the air above us, their passage lighting up the theater enough that we see shadows dancing across the stage before us.



14 - Voodoo- Tribal drums are key players hear, along with tambourine, and deep low ethnic chanting blended beautifully with mixed male and female chorals. Blackness gives way to light and mist as we are transported to an ancient jungle locale, mist dancing through lush greenery as we behold either living or undead cannibals dancing within rings of torches, around huge cauldrons heated by big bonfires.



15 - Mysterium - We go back to the stately route here. Again, a heart-beat like bass mixes with steady strings , female chorals, chimes, strings, thundering timpani, tolling bells, and a gliding harpsichord. We are whisked away from the jungle just in time, but we are still under the spell of our macabre magician host, captured by a vision of a glittering treasure room, that looks like it might belong to an ancient temple. As we sit transfixed by the beauty of it all, we are pierced anew by an even lovelier vision.



16 - The Swords of Kali- Plucked strings and tambourine mix with tribal drumming and entrancing choral work. The whole thing has a distinct and great Middle Eastern flair to it. Before our eyes there dances a lovely troupe of maidens dressed in silk of ever color of the rainbow, moving with careful but perfect barefoot steps as they dance, each step landing next to but not on the blades of ancient swords arranged in the shape of giant wheels, and glowing with the energy and heat of fire. Garbed as priestesses, they dance with great passion and reverence as their goddess of power looks down from above them, her form like bronzed flesh illumined by dancing flames.



17 - Smoke and Mirrors - Compelling, rhythmic bass mates with piano, tolling bells, blended male and female choirs and pounding drums. Soaring strings whisper through the piece too. The priestesses have retired, and now through a curtain of mist we are gifted, by the titles namesakes, with visions of the grandeur and beauty of the world we are leaving behind as we know it. Through these crystalline mirrors, images of our past grow ever more distant. Though we will remember, nothing will ever be quite the same again.



18 - The Prestige - This is one of the strongest melodies, to me, that Nox Arcana has composed to date. Birthed by an epic, instantly memorable piano passage, joined by strings, bells, and chorals...it is a majestic opus that speaks to the hearts of the theater's audience. Time, as we know it, may be drawing to its close, but we are drawn ever closer to a transition. We may, in time go back to the world we knew, but we, and it, will be forever changed.



19 - Black Fire- The title's namesake is easily painted by nearly franticly paced piano, drums and strings. Choral work, tense strings, and tolling bells dance through it. With every second, we know, somehow that are time is closer. Again, the magician and spectral female troupes clad in grey are onstage, surround by great walls of ebony flame. It is through it that in time each and every beholder of this theater's wonders must pass.



20 - Dark Destiny - The beginning of the piece, played enchantingly on piano, with its quietude seems to call to mind a haunting intermission, as blackness again cloaks the stage, but a subdued moonlight soon bathes it all, as upon the stage there stand ornate wrought iron gates flung wide ajar. One by one, each audience member must rise, and leave their seats, to come forth and pass through the gates, welcomed by the troupe of beckoning ghostly females in white or blue-grey misty gowns that stand on either side of the gates. Our destiny awaits us on the other side of them.



21 - Lord of Illusions - Driving, urgent violin, drums, and choir mix with piano and tolling bells as the curtain rises one more time for this, the finale of a grand performance. The black clad magician who opened the show is back, and now, not only are the troupe with him, so are we all. Gesture for gesture is the magician matched by each and every one, as again the fiery dragons, phonixes and other creatures are called forth. Only now, it is we who do it, under the supervision of our host. It is we who lead the specters' dancing, commanding them with majestic gestures, before the curtain goes down, and with a bow, we are beckoned backstage, to go beyond the stage. It is here, within a cavern hidden deep underground, we join all who have gone before us. Given robes of mist an shadow, we take our own place forever among the performers we have witnessed this night.



The hidden tracks here are well done to say the least. A beautiful music box melody pairs with a mysterious and solemn recitation by composer Joseph Vargo to bring this magical CD to a close. It is a brilliant story, told in music splendidly by Nox Arcana, the undisputed masters of macabre majesty and epic mood music. Do not miss it, it is a show that you will never forget, a truly stupendous performance that I just simply must applaud. Pick it up, and I daresay you may grow to love it too. Nox Arcana once again works magic with their music, magic that is forever unequaled."

Magicians made this album

Joker | Michigan | 07/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nox Arcana are magicians themselves at making haunting music. They work their magic on this album. I don't know how Joseph, William, and Christine do it, but they always manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat when they put music to all of their original album themes. Yes, a rabbit out of a hat -- now there's an illusion for you.



This album's theme is a haunted theater where magic and illusion is performed every Halloween night by magicians. Nox Arcana also embraces the origins of magic long ago - where it all began, including black magic.



This album sounds like a cross between Blackthorn Asylum, Carnival Of Lost Souls, Shadow Of The Raven, Transylvania, and even a little bit of Winter's Knight (yes, you read that right).



There are two things I immediately noticed about this album when I listened to it for the first time. First, the album is quite mellow overall. I think it's their most mellow horror-based album to date. This isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's good that Nox Arcana toned things down a little for one album. Of course, the album's magic and illusion theme has a lot to do with it as well. I think magic and illusion-based songs need to be more on the mellow side overall, with an occasional powerful song thrown in. I think Joseph Vargo hit the nail on the head with this album. Second, I noticed the choral voices seem to be more in the background or at a lower volume compared to previous albums. This is a good thing.



It appears that Joseph Vargo wrote and performed all of the songs on this album, just like he did on Winter's Eve, with William Piotrowski absent except for his engineering prowess. Is this another Joseph Vargo solo album? I'm joking ; )



I've always felt the top three candidates for the title of Nox Arcana's Signature Song up to this point are (not necessarily in this order):



1. Night Of The Wolf

2. Spiders In The Attic

3. The Grande Hall (the original 2003 version, not the 2007 remake version)



Honorable mention: Darkness Immortal (both the 2003 and 2007 versions)



All of this is my opinion, of course.



Now I'm thinking that Nox Arcana might have a new signature song (at least in my opinion) - The Prestige. This song seems to have everything that is Nox Arcana - darkness, atmosphere, drama, eerieness, and a nightmarish melody.



Theater Of Illusion's atmosphere is dark and dramatic and makes me feel like I'm in a haunted theater. My favorite tracks are The Prestige, Black Fire, Sinister Cabaret, Necromancer, Forgotten Dreams, The Mask Of Arcana, Mysterium, The Swords Of Kali, The Crimson Hourglass, Dark Destiny, Lord Of Illusions, Phantom Theater, and Edge Of Darkness.



This is another great Nox Arcana album that's perfect for the Halloween season or any time you want to create a dark mood and be taken away into the shadows. I highly recommend it.

"