There are certain melodies that, for a variety of reasons, arouse feelings of sorrow or fear in listeners. For instance, many people can't hear Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" without envisioning sickening scenes from The Exorcist, while some classical music aficionados are moved to tears by Fredric Chopin's mournful "Funeral March." Reworked excerpts from these compositions, plus a handful of other frightening tunes, anchor Oculus Infernum, an intriguing new concept album from Van Helsing's Curse, an outsized ensemble led by former Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider.

Through interconnected songs and short, spoken-word segments, the recording relates the tale of a young boy seeking revenge upon the otherworldly creature that killed his parents. He meets a wizened warrior—a descendant of dreaded vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing—and together the pair battle this entity that, little by little, is destroying humanity. The 10 tracks on the CD interweave brief narrative intervals with symphonic grandeur, atmospheric interludes and rollicking heavy-metal riffs. "Let Me Prey" showcases segments from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff and Jerry Goldsmith's score to The Omen, with "War" dominated by "Mars, The Bringer of War" from Gustav Holst's The Planets and "Black Sabbath," by the band of the same name, powering "Let the Pain Begin."

Most of the adapted selections are identified in the booklet accompanying the disc, although a few traditional themes, such as the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosie"—recited in a ghostly fashion during "All Fall Down"—are not explicitly acknowledged. The liner notes also provide a lengthy rundown of the production's "cast," which, together with Snider, notably includes Joe Franco (another Twisted Sister alumnus) and Trans-Siberian Orchestra violinist Mark Wood.

In Western music, there are a number of aural gimmicks that can be used to generate unease or distress. However, these tricks must be employed sparingly, since few individuals want to hear depressing dirges for extended stretches of time. On Oculus Infernum, Snider cleverly intermingles succinct passages from disturbing and doleful ditties with flamboyant keyboards, powerful choral crescendos and forceful narration, forming a slightly corny but still compelling harmonic horror adventure.

Divided into four sections, "Tubular Hell" is a formidable composition, incorporating a roughed-up version of "Tubular Bells" within the initial segment. This motif quickly morphs into an impressive electric-guitar rendition of Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" before re- emerging, at the song's conclusion, entwined with a subdued performance of the famed requiem mass "Dies Irae." The cut, which tunefully alludes to the awakening of the long-entombed monster, effectively sets the stage not only for the ensuing storyline, but also the conglomeration of fresh and familiar melodies. "Revenge" is similarly dynamic, conveying both the creature's quiet fear and the resolute bravery of the boy and his mentor via grinding bass guitar, shivering strings, rousing horns and extracts from such well-known works as Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and "24th Caprice" by Niccolo Paganini.

The plot is a bit nebulous, with an "evil is eternal" ending that seeks to be profound but is instead simply pedestrian. Regardless, the musicianship is terrific, especially Wood's consistently vivacious violin contributions, and the overall production is exceedingly polished and professional. Snider has stated that Oculus Infernum is the first of many proposed Van Helsing's Curse projects. If succeeding installments are equally appealing, this creepy yet unexpectedly cultured group could soon become authentic horror-rock heroes.

Snider freely admits that this album was in part inspired by the over-the-top performances of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a pop ensemble that presents classic Christmas music in a rock-opera format. He even raided their ranks for this recording. In addition to violin virtuoso Wood, Van Helsing's Curse also features the talents of one of the TSO's touring vocalists, Michael Lanning, and the act's pianist, Jane Mangini.