Artist: Van Helsing’s Curse
Title: “Oculus Infernum” (remaster)
Label: Fangoria Musick
Release Date:
Genre: Symphonic Horror Rock
Rating: 4/5

I reviewed the initial release of Van Helsing’s Curse as one of my very first reviews several years ago and now that it has been re-issued on Fangoria Musick I felt that it was high time to revisit some of these thoughts. Read on Fiends and Fans of things that go bump in the night a dark and sinister adventure awaits you.

It was during the Halloween season of 2003 that we first saw the arrival of Van Helsing’s Curse join up to the world of Symphonic Power Rock and to understand them best you should think of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra with a devilishly devious Halloween twist. Because while the TSO brings you the spirit of Christmas and goodwill so do the members of the VHC make you aware that there is something out there, that you weren’t imagining the noise you heard in the middle of the night and that sometimes being afraid of the dark is the best idea you ever had. With all of the Christmas Carols that are available by the pound it was high time for the Feast Of Samhain to get its due and have a soundtrack of it’s own to help the ghouls and boys celebrate the day. The group has made it their business to address in Symphonic Rock fashion the long overlooked Halloween Season and while we have music like Alice Cooper, The Misfits and Wednesday 13 each delivering a spooky show it is clear that Van Helsing’s Curse will take us on a different journey altogether. The enterprise is the brainchild of Dee Snider (Twisted Sister’s notable front man) and Joe Franco (drummer for Twisted Sister, Widowmaker and the Good Rats) who together set out to do this holiday right. The pair are also joined by guitarist Al Pitrelli (Savatage, Megadeth, TSO) and violinist Mark Wood (TSO) who each help bring this material to life, or dare I say “back to life”, with their contributions.
Continue reading “Oculus Infernum” (remaster) by Van Helsing’s Curse →