The Magnus Archives: Institute of Horror
Before I begin, I would like to thank Reddit user DarkCrystal34 for their feedback on my previous reviews. Following their advice, I am going to limit the fluff, and give more detail about the podcast itself and my opinions of it.
Ask any of my friends, and they will tell you that I am in LOVE with horror. Not slashers, mind you, but actual horror. I love to be scared. Movies, TV shows, literature, I devour it all. From things that go bump in the night, to madness inducing Elder Gods and Ancient Ones, psychological fears, to the horrors that only the human race could perpetrate (Big true crime fan, as well).
When I think of any of these things, one podcast comes to mind that embodies true terror and what it takes to get under my skin.
The Magnus Archives.
Produced by Rusty Quill and voiced by Jonathan Simms, this anthology horror podcast has something for all of us scare-addicts. The entire time I was listening to this, I could not stop that little chil racing up and down my spine.
Jonathan Simms heads the archives department of The Magnus Institute of London. Think X-files, minus the aliens. The department is in complete disarray, as the last Head Archivist left all the statements, as they are called, in shambles and unfiled. Jonathan takes it upon himself to digitize and document all cases in the Archives.
What follows is a horror anthology podcast unlike any I’ve listened to. Over the course of these “statement readings”, you get a small hint of what truly lies waiting in the darkness, both physical and mental. Meanwhile, you get small insights into the Archives itself through interactions between Simms and other researchers. Small insights, but enough to pique your curiosity and keep you coming back. Each statement is a unique tale of a different event, written down and then dictated to you by Jonathan himself. Normally, I find that listening to the same person tell me scary stories over and over again to get very dull after so long, but not in this case. Jonathan’s voice just seems to fit for these stories. Almost as if he were meant to read these….
The stories themselves are different each time, yet you do find some that link to previous statements and the background plot. I find these stories to be far more effective at creeping me out than most others. From Innsmouth-like fish people in back alleys, to neighbors that harbor deadly and otherworldly secrets, to meat processing plants with never ending hallways, you will find something to keep you awake at night in this podcast.
There are other horror anthology podcasts out there, but none that paint such a dreaded picture of the world than The Magnus Archives. There are a lot of episodes out there (46 at the time of this review), so a binge would be well worth your time.
My final thoughts on this podcast are this. You need to listen to this podcast. If you are any fan of horror or suspense, you must listen. Each unique tale will bring you to the edge of both your seat and your sanity. The horror-buff in me cannot recommend this podcast enough, and I hope that this will help bring more people to this amazing, well produced, scary, and fun listening experience.