Dee came up with the idea for the group after seeing a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert, but he wanted a rock orchestra that featured a halloween/horror theme. The group, named after fictional vampire hunter, Abraham Van Helsing, would release their first album in 2003 under the title Oculus Infernum, which in Latin means “eye of hell.” The concept album, narrated by Dee himself, tells the fictional story of a young boy, orphaned after an entity murders all the adults in his town. The child then wanting revenge comes upon one of the descendants of Van Helsing and teams with him to try and put an end to the entity. Beginning that same year, Six Flags Great Adventure began using Oculus Infernum as a soundtrack for their October Fright Fests.