Haunted Halloween Harmony: Unearthing Dee Snider’s Van Helsing’s Curse horror rock symphony

October 20, 1:50 AMSoundtracks ExaminerMark Morton

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Today’s entry is a little off the beaten path. Until now, we’ve been spotlighting soundtracks and scores directly tied to films. But as Halloween draws ever closer, we’d like to share something recently disinterred from its musical crypt.

The blending of classical with rock music is nothing new. Genre-blending began as a form of musical experimentation and eventually became the hallmark of many popular artists. In the late 20th century, it found its way bleeding into hard rock and metal (see our previous Examiner piece discussing this practice), ultimately finding a permanent home with the seasonal musical sensation Trans-Siberian Orchestra. TSO, as they are referred to by fans (because an 8-syllable band name is quite a mouthful), bridged a gap between hard rock and classical music encapsulated with a Broadway sensibility as a means of breathing new life (and metamorphosing) heralded and respected Christmas classics. In a relatively short span of time, TSO snowballed its way into popular holiday radio formats, being given equal playtime to the likes of Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, and Nat King Cole. And then there were the elaborate stage shows, with an orchestra, rock band, and choir all performing in blissful harmony to thousands of concert-goers every year.

So it was only a matter of time until someone mentioned the idea of using that format for another holiday. That person turned out to be Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider, the chosen holiday was Halloween, and the project became known as Van Helsing’s Curse. In 2003, VHC (sure, it’s only four syllables, but it helps keep the connection) released its debut album Oculus Infernum relatively quietly through Koch Records.

The album seemed to use Classics from the Crypt as a sort of road map by which to pave its dark and mysterious journey. VHC set to work pairing heart-pounding, original compositions with clever re-workings of such memorable classic pieces as Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" (made famous by The Exorcist film), Grieg's "In The Hall Of The Mountain King," "Dies Irae," Jerry Goldsmith's "Ave Satani" (from The Omen films), Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" (from Carmina Burana), Mussorgsky's "Night On Bald Mountain," Chopin's perennial "Funeral March," Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" and Holst's "Mars, The Bringer Of War." Oculus Infernum reached an ominous climax with a spine-chilling cover version of Black Sabbath's classic "Black Sabbath."

The music was interwoven with a narrative spoken by Snider regarding an ongoing battle between good and evil, with Dracula’s nemesis Dr. Van Helsing as the primary protagonist. In addition to a host of classically trained musicians, VHC also included performances by TSO alumni Al Pitrelli (guitar) and Jane Mangini (piano). Within two short years of preparation, Snider brought the production to the stage.

In a press statement from 2005, Snider explained the concept, "Our staging is very old world versus new world with regards to the music. The new world rips out a guitar break, the old world counters with a searing violin solo. We worked throughout the record with that kind of tension, where both schools of music are working together but competing at the same time. And visually, on stage, we want to present that as well. This is a very visual entity. The string section is going to be old school Goths, made-up and dressed accordingly, with flowing dresses, velvet jackets and ruffled shirts -- a very Anne Rice look. The electric section is very new-school, 'Hellraiser' meets Marilyn Manson, from the hair to the makeup and attire. Our choir will be a group of druids with hooded robes and skewed faces."

After a brief four-date run, VHC seemed to recess into the night, never to be seen or heard from again. Fingers often point to the record label for under-promoting, under-advertising, and not putting forth the effort to squeeze Oculus Infernum onto the radio. Radio was the primary tool by which TSO’s name and brand spread like wildfire, so there was definitely a disconnect where VHC was concerned.

And it wasn’t for lack of press. The Associated Press applauded it as "an album destined to be the soundtrack for countless Halloween parties." Rue Morgue Magazine attested that there was "plenty of Halloween fire here to keep your jack 'o' lanterns glowing." And Sci Fi Weekly acknowledged it as "creepy yet unexpectedly cultured."

Of course, as any creator of such a massive production would empathize, Snider had very high hopes for his concept. He said, "As the creator for Van Helsing’s Curse, I think the original vision is far-reaching. I see us establishing Van Helsing’s Curse as a significant yearly Halloween experience and a musical part of that experience. Right now, for the most part, people's Halloween activities include visiting a haunt, going trick or treating, going to a Halloween party or watching horror movie marathons. But the musical element is sorely lacking, and Van Helsing’s Curse provides that soundtrack for people's Halloween. It's definitely a far-reaching concept that can translate into TV, videogames, theater, movies, etc."

Although VHC may be gone, interest in the music lingered on. In 2007, Fangoria in association with Snider’s Widowmaker Productions released a reissue of Oculus Infernum featuring two bonus tracks – fresh renditions of John Carpenter’s Halloween theme song and Gerard McMann’s “Cry Little Sister” from The Lost Boys.

As we quickly approach the night of mirth and mayhem, do yourself a favor and check out Van Helsing’s Curse Oculus Infernum. It truly is an album designed to accompany the Halloween spirit.

For more information: Visit Van Helsing’s Curse on MySpace, at iTunes, and at the Midnight Syndicate online shop!