An amazing Halloween soundtrack for 2003

Dee Snider's new project, Van Helsing's Curse, at last unleashes an album that's guaranteed to make EVERY DAY Halloween. Heavily inspired by the Transyberian Orchestra, "Oculus Infernum" is a captivating masterpiece of symphonic metal. With crunching guitars, sobbing violins, howling brass horns, and operatic church choirs, this album captures the dramatic essence of a pyrotechnic stage show. I guarantee it, kiddies; the music isn't short of spectacular. Van Helsing's Curse applies electrified jolts into a few classical tunes, including Beetoven's "Moonlight Sonata," Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," Orff's "Carmina Burana," and Chopin's "Funeral March." Horror movie fans will be pleased also, as Snider carefully incorporates ominous versions of "Tubular Bells" from The Exorcist, and "Ave Satani" from The Omen. I strongly recommend you to hear this while the lights are turned off!

So why did I choose to give "Oculus" 4 stars? I did it because Dee Snider's dark narration should have been omitted from the track list. Don't get me wrong, kiddies. I know this CD was conceived entirely by the Twisted Sister frontman. But what really bothered me was how trite, campy, and melodramatic his narration was. It was difficult for me to take the story seriously. But if you enjoy having such a host guide you through the thrills and chills of an audio recording, than I'm sure you won't have a problem with this one. I still recommend "Oculus Infernum" all the same.

Four out of Five Stars