Ex Astris Scientia — 'The Black Tapes' is a 'Serial'-style podcast that...

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If you’re searching for something scary to get you into the Halloween spirit, it’s time to start listening to The Black Tapes Podcast. Framed as a Serial-esque series hosted by reporter Alex Reagan, it feels like what might happen if a perky NPR journalist decided to investigate the Blair Witch Project.

The Black Tapes Podcast was originally billed as a profile of paranormal investigator Richard Strand, a character partly inspired by the real-life skeptic James Randi. But things take a turn for the disturbing when Reagan discovers Strand’s file of unsolved cases, the so-called Black Tapes. Despite his best efforts, Strand hasn’t been able to find a scientific explanation for this unsettling collection of seemingly supernatural events.

As Reagan begins to investigate these cases herself, her interviews with witnesses and academic experts feel so realistic that some listeners fail to realize that the podcast is a work of fiction. In the vein of the icon of audio drama Orson Welles’ The War of the Worlds, the best kind of horror story is one that you can almost believe is true.

The podcast borrows much of its inspiration from “real” paranormal events and artifacts, from the urban legend Slender Man to medieval Satanic mythology. Some of these details will undoubtedly be familiar to horror fans, but the documentary format and creepy atmosphere are more than enough to make Black Tapes frighteningly addictive.

In an email interview, we spoke with creators Paul Bae and Terry Miles. In order keep the mystery alive, they never admit that The Black Tapes Podcast is anything less than real.

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