Daily News Friday January 4, 2002 Review







Really awesome prop that Criss jumps out of at the end of the performances.




New York Times Friday December 21, 2001 Review







Picture used in the New York Times review
Found on CrissAngel.com



"Mindfreak" Takes Magic To A New Level--January 11, 2002

You Don't Want To Levitate? Hold On!--December 21, 2001

Angel's Magic Show Devilishly Clever--December 13, 2001

Are You Ready To Rumble?--November 22-29, 2001

Magic Times Article

**Some of the quotes from these articles can be found on the Quotes page**


Criss Angel
The Magic and Music of AmystikA
Dark Realms
pgs21-23

AmystikA
The Magic and Music of Criss Angel

Criss Angel has always been the master of his own destiny.  To date, he has performed to sold-out crowds at Madison 
Square Garden, and released a series of critically acclaimed music cd’s on his own record label.  As impressive as these 
things may seem, Angel’s previous achievements have merely been a prelude to his future vision—an opus of magic, 
music and special effects wizardry that is AmystikA.
---------Interview by Russell Williams

AmystikA is derived from a Greek word which means a ‘secret place.’  It’s a concept that melds many different art forms, 
such as revolutionary illusions, special effects, bizarre creatures and an original music score played by a live band, in an 
interactive future world.

Criss Angel shares his thoughts on music and magic, and also reveals some details of his latest project.

"My goal has always been to create a new breed of theatrical experience and get away from the hokey perceptions that the 
public has about magicians.  This show has been my lifelong ambition.  I’ve been evolving and developing the concept for 
many, many years in workshops, which was what World Of Illusion was.  As a platform, it enabled me to test all the idea 
and concepts I had, to see how they would work together."

Although Criss refers to World Of Illusion as a workshop, the show headlined Madison Square Garden’s 
annual Halloween spectacle in 1998.  The sold-out 12 day run received an overwhelming response from the 80,000 fans in 
attendance, and received major attention from the national media.

Angel explains, "I strived to have every aspect of World Of Illusion reflect a fresh and innovative approach.  
The music was one element that really was an integral part.  Music has had a profound effect on me since I was a kid, more so 
than magic.  I think it’s because it possessed a level of creativity and garnered a respect not attributed to most magicians."

Criss collaborated with composer and musician Klayton Scott to create an original soundtrack to his live show.  
The result is a mosaic of styles that blend acoustic and electronic music with pulsing rhythms and Angel’s enigmatic vocals.  
The first release, Criss Angel:  System 1 in the Trilogy was released on Angel’s own label, APITRAG Records, and contains 
songs written, produced, and performed by Angel and Klayton.  APITRAG has also received two theatrical scores from World Of Illusion, 
System 2 and 3 in the Trilogy.

"I worked with Klay on the music for  year.  The basis the AmystikA score is contained on System2 and 3.  There will certainly 
be a cast album that will contain the final music from the show, which will be released when AmystikA debuts."

The AmystikA show will be unveiled on or before October 31, 2002 and will premiere in either New York, or Las Vegas.  
For those who are not fortunate enough to be able to witness the live show, Criss reveals that treatments are already done 
for more than one Criss Angel television special.  Until then, people can look forward to a show that combines magic, music and 
spectacular visual effects to tell a tale reminiscent of a classic odyssey.

"AmystikA is set in the future, in a post-apocalyptic world.  The story is about a man who is born into this world and has to
confront his demons in the form or physical creatures that emerge out of his body, literally on stage.  Until he is able to 
overcome them and defeat them, he’s unable to become whole.  AmystikA is tableau, there’s not dialogue.  It’s a symbolic 
tale that parallels real life.  But that’s not what’s important, what is, is hopefully the emotional connection made with the audience 
moment by moment and how it relates to them—very much like a song.  I do sing live with my band, but I’m also seen on a huge L.E.D. 
monitor wall which melds my live performance with video footage of my vocals plus the various creatures and landscapes.  
Technology plays a major role in the production.  I’m able to interact with the virtual L.E.D. world.  I literally get sucked into it from 
the stage as my demons try to overtake me, then I bounce back out between realities."

Criss also has a deep and profound appreciation for art, "So much of it is incredibly inspirational.  When I look at a Dali painting 
I wonder, what would it look like if it came to life on the stage?  Man…  that drives me, and it’s artists who I think can answer those 
questions that I try to surround myself with."

And just who are these talented artists that will be responsible for bringing Angel’s vision to life?  The list is quite impressive:

Crash McCreery, one of Hollywood’s top art designers, is creating the creatures and sets for AmystikA.  
His credentials include creating the dinosaurs for Jurassic Park and the vampires for Interview With The Vampire.  
Crash has also lent his expertise to Terminator II and Edward Scissorhands.

Steve Johnson, who worked with H.R. Giger to create creatures in Species and also conjured the creatures in The Abyss and Blade, 
will bring the denizens of AmystikA to live on stage.

Other notable names involved in the production are Deborah Brown, principal choreographer for Cirque de Soleil, and seven-time 
Tony award-winning lighting designers Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer.

Criss, as writer, producer and director, has a hand in all aspects of the show’s development and production, from conceptualizing 
the designs to creating and performing the music and illusions, but when it comes to physically manufacturing props and building sets, 
Angel admits, "I leave that to the people who win awards for it and I look forward to the day when I have less non-creative responsibility."

When asked if he considers himself either a perfectionist or a control freak, he replies, "I definitely have been called both.  
Perfection is in the eyes of the beholder.  For me, my perception of perfection changes every day.  I might look back on something 
I was once proud of, and a year later, sometimes even a day later, I’ll think it was a piece if crap.  As far as control freak, I would emphasize freak!"

Criss has a background in martial arts, gymnastics and dance, and avidly engages in weight training to keep in shape for the 
physical demands of his act.  His dark and commanding presence brings a genuine element of sex appeal and mystique to his performance, 
but these qualities are merely a reflection of his natural persona.  "I don’t try to be anything that isn’t part of me.  What comes out, comes out."

As far as contemporary magicians are concerned, Angel credits them for their success but relates, "I don’t believe magicians 
are responsible for pushing the entertainment industry envelope.  Magicians are safe and not very provocative.  Outside of Houdini, 
very few have had an effect on pop-culture.  Houdini revolutionized magic more than anybody.  If you look at the quality of his work 
and how he impacted the world through magic, it’s pretty extraordinary.  Even today, 75 years after his death on Halloween in 1926, 
Houdini’s name is still synonymous with magic, and yet more people are exposed to a one-hour magic television special than the 
amount of people that Houdini performed for during his entire career.  Something to think about."
And what does Criss think of Valentino (a.k.a. The Masked Magician), exposing classic secrets of magic?

"I’m not a fan of it, but I think that a lot of magicians overreacted to it, giving it false credibility.  Quite honestly, 
most of the methods that he revealed aren’t even the true methods for performing those illusions, but then the only way for me 
to prove that to you would be for me to tell you how it really works.  The other stuff in that show is available in books at the 
library and has been around probably since the turn of the 20th century.  Illusions are a bit more sophisticated nowadays.

"What I find interesting, is that people watch the making-of movies all the time, but it doesn’t detract them from their appreciation of 
the film or watching it over and over again.

"A lot of magicians have a problem because they rely solely on the effect.  Magicians have what some would consider an 
advantage over any other art form that I am aware of, in that you can be incredibly bad, yet if the trick works, people
 will applaud because they don’t know how it’s done.  Whereas, if you’re a terrible singer or guitar player, right away people 
would know you suck.

"I’m really in the mindset of taking people and putting them into this world where the lines between reality and illusion are 
blurred, and it’s just about the experience and how it connects to them emotionally.  If I’m successful in doing that, I believe that 
people would really care less about how it all works and more about how it makes them feel.  People have asked me if some of the 
things I do are real, or just an illusion, whether I have the ability to achieve certain things through supernatural means, or is it the 
result of painstaking practice?  I like to let them judge for themselves and perceive what I do however they may."

For more information, visit: www.crissangel.com

The Music created by the collaboration of Criss Angel and Klayton Scott was originally composed to establish and intensify the 
mood of Criss Angel:  World Of Illusion, but the variety of tracks on System 1, 2, and 3 rival and surpass much of today’s top industrial, 
darkwave and soundtrack music.  Individually, each cd stands alone as top-notch production, but the combined trilogy flows together to 
create one mega-soundscape that will immerse listeners in a darkly alluring domain of music.

System 1 contains dynamic, alternative songs with cross-over commercial appeal, enhanced by Angel’s multi-ranged vocals.  Among 
the many standout tracks, the hard-edged industrial "procreation" mixes heavy rhythms with an infectious melody, and "Darkest Day (JS)" 
blends acoustic and electric orchestrations to deliver a heartfelt ballad.

System 2 contains much of the basis for the theatrical score to Angel’s live AmystikA show.  This powerful, mood-inspiring music is 
synchronized to the choreography of the show, but these tracks are not to be dismissed as mere background music.  The songs ranges 
from the techno-dance tracks "Cocoon" "Inhuman" and "XTC" to the industrial groove of "Underground" and the hypnotic and seductive 
instrumental "Entranced."

System 3 contains more outstanding music from the AmystikA show.  Many of these songs, such as the techno tracks "In Two" and 
"Rubber Room," and the heavy industrial "U," could easily pack dance floors.  The moody "Revelation" combines emotional lyrics with 
a haunting melody to deliver an inspired opus.

Each of these cds can be recommended for its own individual merits, but they are best appreciated as a complete set.

To order Criss Angel’s music cds, call toll free 1-800-ANGEL99