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The Dark Tower CD from Nox Arcana was developed solely by Joseph Vargo as a themed complement to The Dark Tower anthology series. The music composed for this particular collection seems to be more understated than their other offerings. There are two types of experiences I’ve had with Nox Arcana’s music. The first is evident through Blackthorn Asylum, The Necronomicon, Phantom of the High Seas, and the Theatre of Illusion.

After you hear the opening refrain, there’s typically a story threaded throughout the music so it’s often a bad idea to play the CD at random if you want the full experience. I found this was especially true for Grimm Tales, which is one of my favorite Nox Arcana CDs. In these cases, you become a more active (rather than passive) listener because you have to pay attention to not only the notes — but also the order of the arrangements and the story arc, too.

Mood-setting and ambiance is, what I would consider, the second way listeners can dive into this band’s music. I’d put this particular compilation squarely in the mood music camp because I felt Dark Tower was less complex and had less variety than their other CDs. When paired with the fiction and Vargo’s signature art style, Dark Tower is the perfect accompaniment to help readers embrace a Gothic horror mood while focusing on a story. On its own, I felt this would be a good introduction to Nox Arcana’s overall style, but may not necessarily stand out as much as their previous offerings that demand a listener’s full attention.

If you’re searching for dark and delectable music to play in the background, then Dark Tower is a good CD to help you do just that.

Review by Monica Valentinelli

Tags | gothic, nox-arcana