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== Tricks secrets revealed ==
== Tricks secrets revealed ==
Disappearance: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Oq83WngmoxA
Levitation: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rKTFXud-GUQ&mode=related&search=
Window trick: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5phGusx-FEk&mode=related&search=
Neck chain: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RNNwKTJx44Y&mode=related&search=
Toothpick vanish: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SPjXkMxO7Gw&mode=related&search=
Motorcycle jump: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xb821UyWnPc

Revision as of 09:46, 23 April 2007

Criss Angel
BornDecember 19, 1967
DiedApril 23, 2007
Occupation(s)Musician, illusionist, stunt performer, Criss Angel Mindfreak creator

Criss Angel (born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, December 19, 1967[1] in East Meadow, New York) is an American musician, mystifier, mentalist, magician, illusionist, hypnotist, escapologist, stunt performer, and the creator and director of the Criss Angel Mindfreak television series on A&E Network and Discovery Channel.

Career as an Illusionist

Angel made his first television appearance as a magician on the ABC special, "Talents ", in 1995. In 1998, he mounted "Criss Angel: World of Illusion" as the headline feature of Madison Square Garden's annual Halloween celebration. In October 2002, Angel debuted an hour-long television special, "Criss Angel Mindfreak", on the ABC Family channel. He has subsequently starred in several television specials. His Broadway production, "Criss Angel Mindfreak", ran for 600 performances at The World Underground Theater in Times Square, ending January 6, 2003.

"Criss Angel Mindfreak", Angel's half-hour television series, premiered on the A&E Network on July 20, 2005. He is currently filming the third season. His illusions have included walking on water, floating between two buildings, and cutting himself in half in full view of an audience. Guests have included Korn's Jonathan Davis (who also co-produced the show's theme music), Rob Zombie, the Amazing Jonathan, Mandy Moore, Penn & Teller, and Lance Burton.[2]

Criss Angel guest starred on CSI: NY on February 28, 2007 in an episode titled "Sleight Out of Hand" as a character named Luke Blade, a famous magician whose assistants die in unusual circumstances.[3] He performed three illusions (being sawed in half, being lit on fire, and a version of his "Submerged" illusion). All three illusions have been performed by Angel on "Criss Angel Mindfreak".

Criss Angel has won the Academy of Magical Arts' Magician of the Year award a record three times: 2001, 2004, 2005 and the IMS Magician of the year for 2007 and 2008. [4]

Criss will appear in a new magic-themed Cirque du Soleil production at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. The new show is expected to open in 2008.[5]

Criss Angel is also known to be in a heavy metal rock band as lead singer; he produces his own theme songs[citation needed].

Legitimacy

Angel often claims that several of the levitations, teleportations and demonstrations of telekinesis are done through the power of the mind, body and spirit attained through meditation. It should be noted, however, that these claims are only made while performing the illusion. Angel stated plainly on an episode of the Penn Jillette Radio Show that he does not believe in any supernatural powers and strongly criticized those who claim such powers. Some of the other methods are well known within the magic fraternity and have been performed previously by magicians such as David Copperfield and the Pendragons. Angel is writing a book entitled Mindfreak: Secret Revelations from the Master of Surreality.

Many viewers and critics allege that Angel is only a "video illusionist," using camera special effects, post-production effects, forced viewing angles, and assistants acting as amazed spectators for the TV audience.[citation needed] During the second season, Criss Angel introduced a "Spectator's Point of View camera", a hand held video camera given to a what he says is random person in the audience to shoot the action in any way he or she wants. However, the camera has seemingly fallen out of favor as the second season continued, only showing up very sporadically. He has even revealed the methods for some of his tricks to viewers at home on TV and in Stuff Magazine (although the effects revealed are usually very simple such as making a toothpick disappear, or making a styrofoam cup float; Criss Angel does more complicated things, such as levitating people including himself, splitting people, including himself, in half, disappearing in air after a motorcycle jump, and stopping his pulse in five different areas in his body.) Angel guest starred on an episode of "Las Vegas" in which he says "If it's real, it's not magic!".

Career as a Musician

Angel was in an industrial rock band called Angeldust, which he started with Klay Scott (now known as Klayton of Celldweller) after Klayton's previous band Circle of Dust broke up. Angeldust released an album called Musical Conjurings from the World of Illusion in 1998 and performed in Madison Square Garden. He has also released several more CDs as Criss Angel.

More recently, Angel created the video MF2 featuring Sully Erna, the lead singer of Godsmack. The video debuted on Yahoo! videos.

Angel also released The Official Mindfreak Soundtrack based on his A&E show Mindfreak.

Discography

All of these albums were self-released under APITRAG Records.

Album Tracks Notes
File:Ca-angeldustalbum.jpg
Musical Conjurings from the World of Illusion
(1998)
01. Come Alive
02. Down
03. Fear
04. Thrush
05. Procreation
06. Die For Me
07. Edge of the World
08. Darkest Day (JS)
09. Hate Me
10. Deadlove Calling
11. Do You Know
12. Metamorphosis (Theatrical Score)
13. Forever
As Angeldust.
File:Ca-system1album.jpg
System 1 in the Trilogy
(2000)
01. Come Alive
02. Down
03. Fear
04. Thrush
05. Procreation
06. Die For Me
07. Edge of the World
08. Darkest Day (JS)
09. Hate Me
10. Deadlove Calling
11. Do You Know
12. Metamorphosis (Theatrical Score)
13. Forever
Same tracks as Musical Conjurings from the World of Illusion. Features Intro Dialogue of Come Alive by Clive Barker. All songs written, produced, arranged, performed & mixed by Criss Angel & Klayton.
File:Ca-system2album.jpg
System 2 in the Trilogy
(2000)
01. Hümbodik
02. Phantasm
03. Cocoon
04. Inhuman
05. Enrapture
06. Entranced
07. Metamorphosis
08. Tremor
09. D.A.M.
10. XTC
11. Underground
12. Perelandra.2
All songs written, produced, arranged, performed & mixed by Criss Angel & Klayton.
File:Ca-system3album.jpg
System 3 in the Trilogy
(2000)
01. In Two
02. Nexus
03. Copycat
04. Rubber Room
05. Firestorm
06. Revelation
07. Disintegration
08. Epilogue
09. 2<0
10. U
11. Why Me
12. Amixtika
All songs written, produced, arranged, performed & mixed by Criss Angel & Klayton.
File:Ca-mindfreakalbum.jpg
Mindfreak
(2002)
01. Scarecrow
02. Phantasm
03. Cocoon
04. Enrapture
05. Perelandra.3
06. Delusions
07. Snow
08. In Two
09. Tremor
10. Metamorphosis
11. Revelation
12. Closure
13. Epilogue
14. D.A.M.
Intended as a soundtrack for his Mindfreak show. All songs written, produced, arranged, performed & mixed by Criss Angel & Klayton.
File:Ca-supernaturalalbum.jpg
Supernatural
(2003)
Xristos
Hümbodik
Metamorphosis
Goodbye
N2 (Supernatural)
Scarecrow.2
Unreleased, exact track listing unavailable. Soundtrack for his Supernatural special.
File:Ca-mftvseries-soundtrack.jpg
Criss Angel Mindfreak
(2006)
01. Mindfreak
02. MF2
03. Mindfreak (Celldweller Remix)
04. Come Alive
05. Down
06. Fear
07. XTC
08. D.A.M.
09. Die For Me
10. Underground
11. Procreation
12. Do You Know
13. Mystify
14. Fly
15. Now I Die
16. Carmela
17. Awake
18. Fight
19. Mindfreak (Desert Remix)
20. Goodbye
21. Mindfreak (Season 1 Theme)
22. Mindfreak (Season 2 Theme)
Mindfreak television series official soundtrack. "MindFreak2" features Sully Erna from Godsmack and Nuno Bettencourt from DramaGods. "Mindfreak (Season 1 Theme)" produced by Jonathan Davis of Korn.

References

Official web sites
Media

review]

Resources

Tricks secrets revealed

Disappearance: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Oq83WngmoxA Levitation: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rKTFXud-GUQ&mode=related&search= Window trick: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5phGusx-FEk&mode=related&search= Neck chain: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RNNwKTJx44Y&mode=related&search= Toothpick vanish: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SPjXkMxO7Gw&mode=related&search= Motorcycle jump: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xb821UyWnPc