The band's name Nox Arcana is derived from two Latin words, which roughly translate to "mysteries of the night." It is a great interest in ancient lore, gothic literature and classic horror that unites these two composers, Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski, in their neverending quest into shadowy and dangerous realms. Nox Arcana's music ranges from eerie and mystical melodies to haunting and nightmarish orchestrations, utilizing piano, violin, pipe organ, harpsichord, acoustic guitars, and various percussive instruments. Their debut album, Darklore Manor, based on a real-life haunted mansion, was featured as the musical score for a New Year's Eve televised special of the 1922 silent film classic, Nosferatu. Their darkly seductive Transylvania, and the sinister Necronomicon and Carnival of Lost Souls are often played during Halloween and in haunted houses such as Busch Gardens, Knott's Scary Farms, and Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights, and are favored by fans of roleplaying games like Vampire: The Masquerade and Call of Cthulhu. But this band does not limit itself to just the Halloween season; their gothic-Christmas release Winter's Knight was ranked on the Billboard Top Ten Holiday Albums for 2006 and 2007, and their medieval battle epic, Blood of the Dragon stormed in at #4 on Amazon's New Age chart. Joseph Vargo, composer, founder and producer of Nox Arcana, is also an internationally acclaimed gothic fantasy artist and writer. His publishing company, Monolith Graphics, is a world-leading producer of gothic and dark-themed products. In addition to music, Vargo has created a wide array of artistic and literary projects, which can be found on the Monolith Graphics website . William Piotrowski, composer and engineer for Nox Arcana, began his professional music career at the early age of 15 when he created the musical score for an independent production entitled "Ghosts of Ohio," a video documentary about the original "Ghost Whisperer," now a TV series on CBS. William plays several instruments including guitar and keyboards, and is well versed in digital recording technology. Be it a haunting, romantic, literary or medieval theme, Nox Arcana offers a detailed storyline with each of their unique releases, along with exquisitely designed booklets and even hidden riddles or puzzles for the lucky ones who buy actual cds—a real bonus that no other band in the world offers. In addition to great music, the Nox Arcana website also features "The Arcanum," an online library of entertaining information about their favorite subjects, such as H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, Bram Stoker's Dracula and Vlad Tepes, ghostly knights, sinister carnival attractions, and a haunted Victorian mansion. In keeping with the Nox Arcana's literary interests, their Shadow of the Raven album is based on the horror stories of Edgar Allan Poe, and their bewitching Grimm Tales album, pays homage to the centuries-old nightmares penned by the Brothers Grimm. Nox Arcana's 10th album in just 5 years, is Phantoms of the High Seas, a mysterious adventure steeped in pirate lore, with ghost ships that prowl the misty dead of night, and ancient treasure that lies buried far below the endless waves.