Review: Van Helsing’s Curse

vanh
Van Helsing’s Curse
“Oculus Infernum”
(Koch)

Never let it be said that Dee Snider isn’t ambitious.  Most notorious as the frontman from 80’s makeup caked rockers Twisted Sister, Dee has always attempted to do things on a theatrically grand scale.  From rocker to radio DJ, to screenwriter and director (remember Dee’s 1998 flick “Strangeland”?  Yeah, me neither and I saw it and now we have a concept album that comes with a sticker proclaiming it to be “…a musical ghost story concept album that is destined to be THE soundtrack for Halloween”.

Not.

It’s vaguely cool and about as scary as one of those “Scary Sounds of Halloween” albums you think are really neat as a kid.  Musically, it’s quite accomplished, it’s just kind of bizarre.  Basically, the vibe is this.
Dee comes in all spooky with his “story” narration and (un)scary vocal tones as intro’s and segues between musical segments, which run the gamut from gothic tinged Euro-metal, to cinematic arrangements that would work well as the backing track to some b-horror film.  You know, the whole Omen church choir vibe.  Here and there, recognizable traditional “Halloween” music (y’know, the kind you here in the background for candy commercials around Halloween) is laced into the whole mix.

It’s ambitious and definitely something that took a lot of thought and effort.  But in the end, is more cheesy fun than scary.  Which is something Dee has always seem to be able to excel at.  So maybe mission accomplished?