As I enter the dusty lot, three familiar structures stand around me, one for the last time ever. The best way to tell if a haunt is any good is to look at the people coming out of the exit. Are they scared? Disturbed? Excited and laughing? I start to realize that’s why my vantage point is so unique and special, because I see all three. In this place, the audience can push themselves to the bounds of their own bravery. The ability to create the perfect nexus between fear and fun proves The Freakling Bros’ mastery of horror and the art of the scare. freakling bros 2019
The legendary Trilogy of Terror by The Freakling Bros has become a Vegas staple attracting and scaring thousands of excited participants each year. Trilogy is broken up into three mazes: Castle Vampyre, Coven of 13, and Gates of Hell. Each affords audience members everything from clever illusions to pure R-rated scares. With over 25 years of haunt experience, Freakling Bros has designed every twist and turn to seem purposeful and perfected. Each maze lasts around 15 minutes and is designed to build up your bravery. The recommended order is Castle Vampyre, Coven of 13, and rounding off the night with Gates of Hell – for those who want something a little more intense. The first two mazes are traditional and do not include any sort of actor contact, but may have a few shocks here and there. Within Gates of Hell, however, participants should be prepared for full contact and painful scares.
Photo: Taylor Winters
Death of a Vampyre
As you enter this castle of illusions and nostalgia, you immediately feel a sense of wonder and awe. It’s easy to find yourself laughing with friends as they are fooled by the clever tricks and ingenious set design elements. Some standout effects include false mirrors and staircases, endless pits with rope swings, and flying vampires. Being the lowest intensity of the three mazes affords Castle Vampyre a great opportunity for beginners to experience the frights and delights that haunt veterans enjoy so much. However, with the creativity Freakling Bros has put into this masterpiece, it will surely be missed by those who have come year after year. You’ll be sure to see people leaving smiling, laughing, and amazed.
Photo: Taylor Winters
Coven of 13
This is where the Trilogy turns dark. The coven has decided to take the chosen ones into their dark ceremony, only to discover that one among them is rotten. With frightful witches and evil magic, Coven of 13 takes audience members deeper into their own fears. Some of the effects within this maze are truly terrifying and completely unexpected. One of Coven’s greatest strengths is its ability to subvert expectations and deliver impactful scares. The experience needed to understand how to do that well, which only comes with years and years of innovation and dedication to the craft. Here, some people run from the exit screaming, some simply file out quietly with looks of horror.
Photo: Taylor Winters
Gates of Hell
The most foreboding and infamous of the three, this maze is meant only for those looking to push their own boundaries. As Nevada’s first R-rated haunted house in 2011, Freakling Bros was a pioneer for many extreme haunts that would follow. No one under 17 is permitted without a parent or guardian, and no one under 13 is admitted – period. Using elements like adult themes, electricity, and physicality, Gates of Hell truly stands apart from the other mazes and transcends the traditional haunted house into something much scarier. A safeword is given to all participants before they descend into scene after scene of simulated death and the journey to Hell. By saying the safeword, guests will be immediately removed from the experience and returned to safety. From the exit, you will only see looks of terror and the desire to run as fast as they can to escape.
Photo: Taylor Winters
Final Thoughts
Overall Freakling Bros’ Trilogy of Terror remains on top as one of the Southwest’s most ingenious and frightening haunted attractions. With Castle Vampyre leaving the lineup after this year, we are extremely excited to see what new changes will be coming up in 2020. Freakling Bros continues to innovate by relying on their vast experience in the horror industry. With something for everyone, audience members are able to test their bravery and maybe push their boundaries. Whether you are a Vegas local, a weekend visitor from L.A., or an out-of-state tourist, Freakling Bros will surely impress and scare you with their amazing attention to detail, committed scare-actors, and amazing scenes.
Photo: Taylor Winters
The price of admission is $17 for Gates of Hell, $15 for Castle Vampyre and Coven of 13, or all three can be purchased together for $40. For an additional $15, a fast pass can be added which comes with a T-shirt (while supplies last). All tickets must be purchased onsite. Lines can get pretty long here so we highly suggest dropping a few extra dollars to make the wait a little less painful. The amount of patrons is simply a testament to the success of this long-running haunt.
Freakling Bros’ run has ended for the season, but we are looking forward to seeing what innovations and scares they bring next year. For more information on Freakling Bros, see their website and Facebook page. Check out our Event Guide for more immersive and horror entertainment throughout the year.
MORE ABOUT HAUNTING
Haunting is a resource for immersive theater and horror fans in Los Angeles and across the world, promoting art and community. Want to help us reach even more people, and get some cool perks and experiences? For as little as $1 a month, you can join our Patreon and help us keep bringing content to life.
If you like the above article and want to find more like it, make sure to join our community. If Facebook is your favorite, follow us there and become a part of our groups for Immersive Horror fans and/or Immersive creators. We’re active on Instagram, posting evocative imagery and informative stories to promote our reviews and recollections; follow us there. You can even find us on twitter; click here to follow. For those who want to explore deeper, we have a vibrant Slack community with new event alerts and immediate ticket sale announcements; click here to join. And subscribe to our event calendar to get emails for all or specific events (look for the link right under the calendar)! Finally, we have a newsletter that comes out once a week; click here to sign up.
No Comments