Van Helsing's Curse, a music project led by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame, originated in the United States in 2003. The group was conceived after Snider attended a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert and envisioned an orchestra with a Halloween theme. Named after the fictional vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, the project featured a five-piece rock band, a six-piece choir, and a six-piece string section. The group released their debut album Oculus Infernum on October 7, 2003. The concept album, narrated by Snider, tells the fictional story of a young boy who is orphaned after an entity murders all the adults in his town. The boy then teams with a descendant of Van Helsing to seek revenge. That same year, Van Helsing's Curse collaborated with Six Flags to create the Van Helsing's Curse Fireworks Spectacular, a Halloween-themed fireworks show exclusive to Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure, using Oculus Infernum as its soundtrack. The band began touring in 2004 and later released a DVD of their concert entitled Live in Philly '05.
