cELEBRATING THE 20TH anniversary of
Mondo Freudo

[2001 - 2021]

2021 Marks The 20th Anniversary Of Freudstein’s Debut LP, Mondo Freudo, released on wasp factory recording.

This classic LP is now available on all major digital platforms to stream or download including: Spotify, Amazon Music, APPLE I-Tunes, YouTube Music, XIAMI MUSIC.

cELEBRATING THE 20TH anniversary of
MASS MARKET MISERY

[2006 - 2026]

2021 Marks The 20th Anniversary Of Freudstein’s Debut LP, Mondo Freudo, released on wasp factory recording.

This classic LP is now available on all major digital platforms to stream or download including: Spotify, Amazon Music, APPLE I-Tunes, YouTube Music, XIAMI MUSIC.

ALBUM REVIEWS

KERRANG magazine, ben MYERS

“…if Alec Empire scored a few obscure Italian slasher flicks, then they'd undoubtedly sound akin to Freudstein. Shifting from dark AFX Twin / DJ Shadow style sound voyages to techno-metal...”

BIZARRE MAGAZINE

“Fed on a strict bloody diet of horror films and soundtracks, Freudstein concoct an evil update on classic 70's italian horror music. Influenced by bands such as Dario Argento's favourite 'The Goblin' and Lucio Fulciís regular composer Fabio Frizzi, the Brighton duo are far from your average cliched Marilyn Manson clones. 'Other bands piss about in pantomine masks and boiler suits, not us.' says singer David Freud.

The duo have found a new sound, one that combines the atmosphere of classic horror soundtracks with modern electronic music. Their album 'Mondo Freudo' is testament to this, with its orchestral strings, manic arpeggios and whispered vocals - they're not afraid to experiment at the expense of the listener's mind.

On one track, intriguingly titled 'Filthy Little Whore', they acquired an 8 year old girl to provide the vocals to a surreal birthday surprise gone horribly wrong. On another, the Freuds pay homage to classic italian horror with 'Mark Of The Devil', their song based on the film of the same name; but not as you might expect. Church organs play demonic riffs to a crazed 210 BPM techno backing as the song relentlessly builds to a stunning climax. Imagine The Phantom Of The Opera On E.

I asked them how their horror-fixation started. 'My real obsession with horror began the first time I watched Dawn Of The Dead when I was fifteen. Up until then I'd only flirted with late night Hammer Horror and cheap gore flicks,' says David Freud. 'After that I was spellbound - I just wanted to climb into the screen and live in that shopping mall!'

The band even take their name from a character in a classic film of the genre, Lucio Fulci's 'The House By The Cemetery'. Keyboardist and vocalist Andrew Freud explained, 'Dr Jacob Freudstein was a turn of the century surgeon who recreated himself as a bizarre mosaic of childrens' corpses. We like to think our music's as dangerous as him.'

Freudstein's debut album 'Mondo Freudo' is out now on Wasp-Factory Recordings.”

mAYFAIR MALL MAGAZINE

“The musical variety on here is huge, it goes from thumping industrial monsters like ‘Punkid’, to the mellow guitar, piano and strings driven instrumental track 'The Only Thing'. Another quality release from Wasp Factory and probably one of the most varied. Buy this, listen to it and be converted to the sound of Freudstein.”

mELTDOWN MAGAZINE, THE RATTLER

“Mondo Freudo is as beautiful and twisted as it's artwork suggests it will be and clearly a labour of love, in the most perverse sense of the word…It's as if they're soundtracks for some seriously surreal, disgusting and bleak Mondo movies from the 22nd century.”

REGEN MAGAZINE, TERRY COOKE

Brighton-based duo Andrew Bridge and David Else, best known for their wide array of styles and unique sound, take us on a dark and haunting melodic journey with Mondo Freudo. The album starts with "Live This Lie," which does its job gracefully as the opener with its haunting melodies, dark atmosphere, and warped thought-provoking vocal lines. It unfortunately goes downhill from there with track two, titled "Punkid," that has a kind of Pitchshifter feel to it with its grungy guitar and drum and bass breaks, but doesn't pack the punch that is needed to feel at all connected with the rest of the album. All is not lost as we dive further into the sinister world of Mondo Freudo.

"Filthy Little Whore" embarks on a sick and twisted excursion through the eyes of an eight-year-old girl. Highlights include track five, titled "Shadows," which features Swarf lead vocalist Liz Green, who does an outstanding job with her characteristic vocals. No two tracks on the album sound in any way similar and Freudstein don't think twice about adding an ounce of humor in the mix as track six, titled "A Message From Our Sponsors," displays. Mondo Freudo is fresh, diverse, and created in a highly artistic manner. There's something about this album that just draws you in.

Overall, this is a very nice job, but unfortunately it was let down by some cheap sounding synths as well as generic drum lines and occasionally repetitive arpeggios, but the real key behind Mondo Freudo is the great composition throughout the album. This makes Mondo Freudo an interesting and compelling experience for fans of all genres.

DARK STAR ORG, ROB DYER

“It has taken me ages to get around to reviewing this ("What's new?" I hear you cry) but that's largely because I've hardly stopped playing it since it arrived. This is a real original. Constantly fascinating, deliciously morose at times, sometimes misguided and packed with moments of impressive flair. No two tracks are the same and in many respects this is quite a hit and miss affair. Mondo Freudo shows tremendous promise for the two guys behind it - Andrew Bridge and David Else. They probably just need more conviction in their own ideas rather than feel they have to fall back occasionally on some safer components.

Production wise, some of the sounds could do with more development and there sometimes too many preset-sounding keyboard parts and overly familiar drum and percussion samples. But composition is where Freudstein's talent really lies. Live This Lie is a darkly sublime and unconventional opener and sets the tone for the highlights of the rest of this thought-provoking debut. A masterstroke of concept and execution is Filthy Little Whore (Part 1). Built around the alarmingly innocent voice of 8-year old Solera Russell speaking about domestic violence, this packs an incredible punch. Guitars aside, the understated (but doom-laden) music provides the perfect backdrop to the child voice. The entire effect is as chilling as it is compulsive - haunting brilliance.

The midway intermission - a covert recording of a conversation between one of the band members and a job centre employee about missed appointments - is indicative of Freudstein's clever humour and originality. Swarf's lead vocalist Liz crops up on Shadows which, to these ears at least, could be a Swarf track. Essentially instrumental in nature, the remainder is unexpected and unpredictable, in spite of repeated listening. Even two years on, this remains the best Wasp Factory release to date. 7/10.”

LYRICS

live this lie

I can see in your eyes
Reflections of all I despise
When you call my name to me
I'll be what you want me to be

For my weakness I'll pay the price
Submit to you sell my life
Exchange it for security
Destroy the man who once was me

Hated world of compromise
Makes me want to live this lie
Maybe one day I'll receive
The strength to be free

I can see in your eyes
Reflections of all I despise
When you call my name to me
I'll be what you want me to be

punkid

You're just a waste of skin
No-one cares what kind of state you're in
I'm the drug that gets you high
I'm the light behind your eyes

Punkid
Wasted
I'm the best you've ever tasted, face it
I'm the future that you never had
I'm the future that you never had

Hard-wired hate, you need it bad
You're so weak you're fading out
Hardcore baby, scream and shout
Voodoo shakes won't sweat me out

Punkid
Wasted
I'm the best you've ever tasted, face it
I'm the future that you never had
I'm the future that you never had

Say you're a freak, say you're mean
Well you scare to easy for the real thing
Watered down and spoonfed
Pull the plug out of your head

Punkid
Wasted
I'm the best you've ever tasted, face it
I'm the future that you never had
I'm the future that you never had

*Lyrics written by Amon Zero

shadows

Wrapped in your world of cloudless skies
Watching and waiting for you alive
Stretching my grip with tender thoughts
Your soul, your dreams, your life I have sought

Enraptured with blindness you led me through
Entwining and binding, I'll capture you

Stretching my grip with tender thoughts
Your soul, your dreams, your life I have sought
A silent scream, cry for release
Pray for silence, pain brings release

*Lyrics written by Liz Green

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE :

FREUDSTEIN E.P.
[1998]

Freudstein’s four track E.P. announced the band’s arrival with a fully formed modern horror sound. Beginning with drum and bass piano stabs, it journeys through dark industrial techno, and climaxes in satanic classical madness.

MASS MARKET MISERY [2006]

Mass Market Misery is the band’s epic second album of dark musical majesty. It builds on their love of horror soundtracks with pure analogue perfection and live instrumentation. It is perhaps their finest record to date.

DISSECTED AND
RESURRECTED [2007]

Dissected and Resurrected is the band’s third album. Side A - Dissected - features artists and collaborators remixing Freudstein tracks. Side B - Resurrected - features a collection of Freudstein’s own remixes.