"You're giving me the creeps," says Howard Stern after witnessing Criss Angel's performance on his show. He continues, "Wow. Amazing stuff. Pretty damn impressive." MTV host and modern music historian Matt Pinfield has called him "brilliant." Acclaimed film director and best-selling author Clive Barker states, "Criss Angel is extraordinary." NBC-TV comments, "Outstanding!" Grammy Award winning producer Steve Thompson raves, "Criss Angel has the most unique rock show I've ever seen in my life." Renowned superstars Siegfried & Roy say, "Greatness is he who reminds you of no other. Such a man is Criss Angel." The excitement is being generated by a new breed of entertainment, the sole creation of mastermind and visionary Criss Angel. He has written, produced, designed, directed and staged the entire Criss Angel: World of Illusion production.

"There's a lot of things that make the concept special," Angel states. "The show is an interactive journey as the theater mutates around you and sucks you into a vortex of revolutionary illusions, an original post-industrial electronic music score, avant-garde creatures, performance art, extreme sports, hybro-mechanical species, and state-of-the-art pyrotechnics which all seamlessly meld. I wanted to put the audience in a world where the lines are blurred between reality and illusion. I'm not trying to hype you, it's just something you have to experience for yourself."

The driving force behind World of Illusion is the cryptic opus and ethereal sounds of Criss Angel's music. It is a mosaic of styles that blend acoustic and electronic music with performance art rhythms and Angel's distinctive vocals. The first release, Criss Angel: World of Illusion - Act I CD (APITRAG Records) unleashes commercially viable songs written, produced, arranged and performed by Criss Angel and Klay Scott and performed live by Angel and his band. The debut CD got rave reviews. Pinfield called it, "Awesome. Great songs - they get stuck in your head!" APITRAG will release two theatrical scores from World of Illusion - Act II and III this summer.

Angel explains, "In creating the concept, I strived to have every element reflect a fresh and innovative approach and the music was one element that really needed to be an integral part. It was imperative that the music create and intensify all of the moods so that it would be the pinnacle of what an audio/visual experience is.

Prior to his association with Klay, Angel wrote, arranged, performed and produced the music that accompanied all of his featured performances on ABC, FOX, NBC, and WOR Television.

Live, Criss Angel: World of Illusion headlined Madison Square Garden's annual Halloween spectacle in 1998. The sold out 12-day run received an overwhelming response from the 80,000+ in attendance. The previous year, Angel was Creative Consultant and Designer for the extravaganza. He also played the Nassau Coliseum in the round, for a one-day production that attracted 18,000 people. In Mexico, in his only performance for magicians, he received four standing ovations.

His creative genius played an integral role for many marketing campaigns including several national Milton Bradley Magic Works commercials, the Random House book The Life And Many Deaths of Harry Houdini, Harley Davidson, and Tannens - the largest magic shop in the world. Angel has amassed quite a bit of television exposure. He's starred on MTV Xposed: Music Video Secrets Revealed, The Discovery Channel's The Science Of Magic and Secrets (an ABC prime time special and The Learning Channel). He was a special guest star on the Ricki Lake Halloween Bash (WOR-TV ) and The Howard Stern Show (nationally syndicated radio program and E!) where he successfully executed telepathic experiments over the air waves. This is a first - no one has ever been able to accomplish this in the history of magic. A Current Affair (FOX), New York Non-Stop (ABC), Good Day New York (FOX), Sunday Today In New York (NBC) and Metro Guide (MSG) have all done profiles on him and he was the topic of discussion on WNBC News and MTV Live hosted by Carson Daly. He has been featured in national books (Conjuring - St. Martins Press, The Magic World of The Amazing Randi - Bob Adams), on the wires of international news organizations (Associated Press, Daily Insider, The Flash Network, etc.), radio programs and in countless articles. Angel maintains a rare and full endorsement with Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

His background in movement includes martial arts, gymnastics, and dance. He avidly engages in weight training, and he's an accomplished drummer and pyro designer/technician. In fact, he was granted state and federal explosives licenses at the earliest legal age. As a teenager, Angel studied acting in NYC and went on to produce and host the number one television show for Brookhaven Cable. He has performed music and magic since childhood and was named "Nations Best Overall Talent" at the age of 14. The concept of combining both art forms followed quickly.

Whether his role is master illusionist, main vocalist, producer, designer or director, Criss Angel is a multi-faceted artist who approaches his work with awe-inspiring passion, strength and determination. He's paving the way with a pioneering concept that will transcend entertainment through the new millennium.

Welcome to the mind of Criss Angel.

Courtesy of: CrissAngel.com