Shadow of the Raven

Shadow of the Raven is the eighth album by gothic duo Nox Arcana. This time the composers Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski honor Edgar Allan Poe, the author of "The Masque of the Red Death", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", "The Fall of the House of Usher, "The Tell-Tale Heart" and other tales of suspense and horror, as well as the famous poem "The Raven". Nox Arcana's Shadow of the Raven was cited in the academic book Handbook of Intermediality: Literature - Image - Sound - Music in reference to the vast legacy of Poe's works in music.

The classical, symphonic instrumental music is primarily made up of piano, violin, pipe organ, harpsichord and some music box melodies that have been described as suspenseful and melancholy. The album is introduced with a brief narrative. Subtle yet effective sound effects are peppered throughout the music, providing accompaniment to several of Poe's most famous literary works.