Carnival of Lost Souls

Carnival of Lost Souls
Studio album by Nox Arcana
Released	June 6, 2006
Genre	Gothic, Dark cabaret, Dark ambient, Dark wave
Label	Monolith Graphics
Nox Arcana chronology
Transylvania (2005) Carnival of Lost Souls (2006) Blood of Angels (2006)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Arising Realm	[1]
Fangoria	[2]
Metal Sound	[3]
Morbid Outlook	[4]

Carnival of Lost Souls is the fifth album by Dark ambient musical duo Nox Arcana, loosely based on the novel Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. On this album, Nox Arcana performs a style of music that is indicative of a late 19th-early 20th century circus or Vaudeville act, albeit with a darker, more sinister tone and effect. ^{[5] [6]}

In 2017, Carnival Of Lost Souls was ranked by Pretty Famous on MSN at #101 for Best Album of All Time. Nox Arcana made the list with other influential musical artists including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and The Ramones. ^[7]

Music

Their "Calliope" song, for example, is a pipe organ melody that is performed more like a dirge than something festive, and the song "Madame Endora" is a narrative piece featuring the gravely voice of a fortune-teller who warns the listener that "a storm is coming" and to "beware." Other tracks are accented with sound effects of things that one might hear in the encampment of a traveling circus: the tormented, bitter screams of the freaks in the sideshow, the sound of the ringmaster or carnival barker, the cracking of a whip, the distant roaring of animals and rattling of chains. The track "Snake Charmer" combines an exotic drumbeat with wind pipes and finger cymbals, along with the sound of a rattlesnake.

The song "Spellbound" is the only song on the album with full lyrics and male vocals. It was recorded twice on the CD; once as a scratchy-crackly-sounding record, like something played on an old Victrola machine, then as a goth/metal version on a hidden track at the end of the CD. ^{[8] [9]}

Nox Arcana hosted a CD release party that coincided with the album release date of 6-6-06 and played up the superstitions surrounding that date with a horror-carnival atmosphere. The rock version of "Spellbound" was performed live. ^{[10] [11]}

Carnival of Lost Souls is one of three albums Nox Arcana recorded during a one-year span. Prior to this they released two full-length albums each year.

Music from Carnival of Lost Souls is regularly featured at the Knott's Scary Farm haunted attraction, "Carnevil". ^[12]

Track listing

1. "Ghosts of the Midway" – 1:48
2. "After Hours" – 2:16
3. "Harlequin’s Lament" – 3:39
4. "Calliope" – 2:46
5. "Madame Endora" – 1:03
6. "Nightmare Parade" – 2:38
7. "Shadows Fall" – 2:18
8. "Hall of Mirrors" – 1:32
9. "Spellbound" – 1:04
10. "Cries in the Night" – 1:21
11. "Soul Stealer" – 2:28
12. "Haunted Carousel" – 3:12
13. "Theatre of Sorrows" – 2:35
14. "Living Dolls" – 2:52
15. "Lost in the Darkness" – 4:15
16. "Snake Charmer" – 4:26
17. "Freaks" – 1:24
18. "Circus Diabolique" – 3:24
19. "Pandora’s Music Box" – 3:08
20. "The Devil’s Daggers" – 3:17
21. "Storm" – 11:36

• The song "Storm" ends at 2:40, but there are three untitled hidden tracks: the first hidden track starts at 3:20 and ends at 4:25; the second hidden track starts at 4:55 and ends at 5:50; the third hidden track starts at 6:05 and ends at 11:36. This third hidden track is a heavy metal version of the song "Spellbound". Lyrics and music by Joseph Vargo, vocals performed by Jim Hamar, lead guitar performed by Jeff Endemann. In the song, Vargo recites the phrase "By the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes..." ^[13]

References

1. Arising Realm review
2. "Fangoria Musick reviews". Archived from the original on November 16, 2025.
3. Marko Miranović (September 11, 2009). "Metal Sound review". Metal Sound Magazine (Serbia). Archived from the original on October 6, 2011.
4. Morbid Outlook review
5. "Interview with Joseph Vargo of Nox Arcana, by J.E. Farrow - May 2007". Archived from the original on November 9, 2007.
6. Rania Ioannou (January 2008). "Interview with Joseph Vargo". Metafysiko Magazine (Greece). Archived from the original on November 5, 2012.
7. O'Brien, Alison (April 6, 2017). "Ranking the Best Albums of All Time". MSN.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
8. Ivan Markovic (November 2009). "Iinterview with Nox Arcana". Metal Sound Magazine (Serbia). Archived from the original on March 11, 2011.
9. Nemo Swift (May 18, 2007). "Big Ole Face Full of Monster album review and synopsis". Big Ole Face Full of Monster Issue #3. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008.
10. Carnival of Lost Souls release party
11. Benson, John (October 30, 2005). "Nox Arcana celebrates CD release on appropriately Goth date 6/6/6". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, OH. p. 24.
12. "Halloween Database Reviews". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
13. "Nox Arcana's "Spellbound" lyrics" . Retrieved March 30, 2009.

External links

• Nox Arcana official website
• Carnival of Lost Souls "Attractions"
• Carnival Of Lost Souls at Allmusic