Black Tide Bassist, Zakk Sandler Recovering from Auto Accident

A note from Zakk from Black Tide's Official Band Page:

From the comfort of my bed,

Thank you all for your positive thoughts and wishes. I have a broken nose, hurt my neck, bit a hole through my lip, and I'm just achy and banged up all over but I will be fine and back to normal in a few weeks. It's things like this that just wake me up and show me how great it is to be alive and how fortunate I am to have been able to walk away from this with such minimal damage to my body. I've heard plenty of stories and seen plenty of pictures of auto accidents that are absolutely horrific. Looking at the damage done to the car makes me truly grateful for the life that I will continue to live. Love you all !!

-Zakk

Bizzy Bone Inks New Deal, Preps Heavy Metal Mash-up Album

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony rapper Bizzy Bone has inked a new deal with D.C.-based label Sumerian Records to release his fifteenth solo album, 'Crossroads 2010,' which is now slated to be a heavy metal and hip-hop mash-up.

The album--originally intended for release on Sphinx City Records--is Bizzy's first foray into the world of heavy metal. According to label founder Ash Avildsen, the digital record debuted online July 27, followed by an official August 24 release. Avildsen confirmed Bizzy's new record deal in a statement to AllHipHop, explaining that it was his most "polished" album since his 1998 debut 'Heaven'z Movie,' which was followed by a series of underground albums.

"It's true and the album is incredible," Avildsen said. "Anyone who has closely followed the label knows that we have never been one dimensional in the bands we have signed and the records we have released. While we have been making a meaningful impact on the current state of heavy music, the true theme to Sumerian has always been about progressive music, not just metal. Bizzy Bone is one of the most progressive vocalists I have ever heard."

Bizzy Bone recently appeared on the cast of VH1's 'Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,' after admitting that he struggles with marijuana and alcohol abuse.

Re-posted from The BoomBox: http://aol.it/hfPVVZ

Heavy Metal-World™ Officially Partners with The Outlaw Radio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 30, 2010 – With a bold mission to showcase emerging heavy metal artists across the world market-place, Los Angeles media company, Heavy Metal-World™ has joined forces with Las Vegas internet radio station The Outlaw Radio (www.theoutlawradio.com) to provide emerging artists a platform from which to ROCK!


“Internet Radio is a viable medium for any broadcast material,” states Ed Fassio, VP of A&R for HMW. “The web also affords liberty that traditional channels can’t. So when you’re able to take a creative environment and blend it with a no-limits format, you have to take advantage of it.”


Fassio describes the misunderstood world of heavy metal. Often discriminated and routinely isolated, metal music is the outlet for aggression, the voice of power and often, the sound of the sinister. It’s this latter description that causes the most controversy and also the reason the genre doesn’t get its fair-share of airplay on traditional radio.


“It’s unfortunate that heavy metal gets the literal evil-eye,” continues Fassio. “Religious perspectives aside, the music is probably the most expressive and emotionally encompassing stuff out there. It borrows from classical structure, albeit amplified.”


Fassio isn’t alone. TOR's founding persona, Isaac “BigMex” Andrade wholeheartedly agrees. “The Outlaw Radio is dedicated to everything loud, heavy and outrageous,” states Big Mex. “Heavy Metal is not only played, but it’s promoted, embraced and endorsed on our station 24 hours a day. When HMW presented the opportunity to partner in tandem with the record label launch, we were all over it.”


With a station motto that reads “Pleasuring your holes…on the sides of your head” The Outlaw Radio embodies “No Limit” radio. Debuting in late summer 2010, the station features a playlist of popular hits alongside unsigned acts across heavy metal and traditional rock genres.


Some of the unique features of the station include a live U-Stream broadcast feed where listeners can view all the action as it happens, a lively and moderated internet chat room where fans can interact and make real-time requests to the online DJs, and an aggregate newsfeed on the main page featuring international music news from the famous to the infamous and everything in between.


For additional information regarding The Outlaw Radio, visit them at:  www.theoutlawradio.com


About Heavy Metal-World:
Heavy Metal-World is a new media agency HQ’ed in Los Angeles, CA comprised of industry experts and developed in early 2008 as an innovative way to market, manage, promote and distribute new media and independent music by leveraging emerging platforms and partners.

Production Begins on "Rise Again" Music Video

Production began last Friday on the forthcoming music video entitled, “Rise Again” from the Las Vegas teen, heavy metal group Control the Chaos’ fourth record.

The young rockers are newly signed to Los Angeles media firm Heavy Metal-World. Under HMW’s recent announcement to partner with Vegas video agency Agent X, the production team will be led by Daniel Chandia, an award-winning independent film director and company founder.

“For CTC’s latest release we want to incorporate elements that focus on the heaviness of their sound and message of resilience,” says Chandia. “HMW is providing us a ton of creative freedom, so we are having a lot of fun experimenting with concepts for this project.”

“Danny’s work on our previous video for Blackened Sunrise really impressed us,” adds Hector Gomez, drummer for the band. “We’re very pleased to have him involved in another one of our projects.”

The video is set for world-wide release in early 2011 with primary assembly in the band’s Las Vegas hometown.

For additional information,  “Control the Chaos” and “Agent X Studios” can be researched via Google.

Agent X Studios Joins Heavy Metal-World™ as Premier Video Agency

When new media agency Heavy Metal-World first acquired Itchy Metal Entertainment, one of the first tasks for the joint company’s marketing department was to build out strategic partnerships which would enable the young label to explore new, creative outlets and access best of breed solutions across the realms of tech, music and film.

To round out the arsenal, HMW focused on finding a cutting-edge videography agency that could deliver vision, passion and power through unique visual interpretations.

“It wasn’t as simple as doing a Google search for music video providers,” states Ed Fassio, President of the newly formed IME Records (aka Itchy Metal, the A&R division of HMW). “We needed someone dedicated to high-reputation output, could work with minimal touch and knew how to deliver a premium level of quality, speed and efficiency. This was a tall order because you don’t want to rush art. But at the same time, business is always about deadlines. I knew just the right person to call.”

Quickly, the needle pointed to a familiar face. Enter Daniel Chandia, award-winning indie film director and founder of Agent X Studios, a Las Vegas-based videography provider.

“It was exciting to work with Ed Fassio again because of our history together. We’ve collaborated on a couple of music projects in the past and when he asked if we wanted to join HMW as a formal, strategic partner, we were happy to accept the offer,” commented Chandia. “Ed’s reputation is one that ensures dedication and attention to detail. His professionalism is in perfect synergy for the way we operate Agent X.”

Agent X will become one of Heavy Metal-World’s premier content assemblers, being the company’s direct resource for music videos, digital biographies, documentaries and all things video-related.

“As new artists on the record label increase, the need for video content equally grows,” adds Don Melendez, HMW’s Creative Director and CEO of DMCreative. “Ed knew that my design team would need to work closely with Danny’s video team, as well as HMW’s web team, so he was careful to find a blend of personalities that knew how to come together during intense situations. We’re often remote and constantly challenged by logistics which adds another reason we were adamant about securing a high-performance team.”

Agent X’s resume includes pro-video projects with Hartley Entertainment Group, Itchy Metal Entertainment, Nomadic Nation, The 48 Hour Film Project, Cool Blue Talent, Stoney’s of Las Vegas and more.

For more info on Agent X Studios and Danny Chandia, visit:

http://www.myspace.com/agentxstudios

Heavy Metal-World™ Selects DMCreative as Stategic Design Partner

From inception, Heavy Metal-World™ wanted to establish a creative partnership that could deliver brand awareness and would have just as much impact visually as it would sonically. Being in a genre that channels strength and aggression, HMW knew that the physical representation of the artist’s logo, color schema and font choices would need to convey strong, dark characteristics, while remaining socially acceptable and marketable.

In selecting the appropriate alignment, HMW turned to their new acquisition Itchy Metal Entertainment for guidance and recommendation.

Here’s what Ed Fassio, President of Itchy Metal Entertainment had to say about DMCreative:

When our band, “Control the Chaos” first emerged on the scene, we knew we wanted to deliver a sound and image that no one would forget.

In choosing to work with Don Melendez, we wanted him to retain full creative freedom in his interpretation of our brand and image. Our only guidance for Don was “Do what you do” in the context of creating a compelling message that best represented the core elements of our identity.  Don’s incredible depth and insight allowed him to transform his skilled artistry into the perfect icons and symbols which became the center pieces of CTC’s branding platform.  His attention to detail, awareness of the global audience and proactive communication throughout the process provided an exceptional customer experience.

Today, “Control the Chaos” commands one of the most recognizable brands amongst the west coast independent music scene. The work created by Don Melendez for our brand has helped reinforce our artistic delivery and industry presence. We leverage his designs in all elements of our business, from merchandising to advertising and we can’t thank Don enough for being one of our top creative resources.  We highly recommend him for anyone needing to make exceptional statements through excellent design work.

— Ed Fassio

CEO of Itchy Metal Entertainment & Manager of “Control the Chaos”

"DMCreative is a design studio that specializes in branding and identity development. Art makes the world go round. My clients make the world go round. I see that every brand, big or small, is handled with the highest degree of creativity and care. Once it’s all said and done, your brand will be able to capture its audience by representing your unique vision."

— Don Melendez

CEO DMCreative & Creative Director for Heavy Metal-World™

HMW Artist "Control the Chaos" Releases 2nd Full-length DVD

November 25, 2010 (Las Vegas, NV) - As they expand their world-wide marketing and merchandising footprint, Vegas Molten-Metal band, "Control the Chaos" is proud to announce their second, full-length DVD release entitled "Control the Chaos: The Village Sessions", featuring exclusive footage from their milestone recording session at LA’s Village Studios and the band’s first national tour.

The DVD will be released to distribution via New Media agency Heavy Metal-World. It will also be marketed via the band's official website and social media pages.  Included on the disc is a candid perspective from each member on their summer 2010 experience, musical influences and the key components of their early success. Bonus scenes on the full documentary feature in-depth discussion on the impact producer Dave Hampton has had on the band’s momentum and sound, along with additional interviews with the band’s management team.

A MUST-HAVE collector's item for fans of this up and coming young metal machine and their Vegas Molten-Metal sound! A shortened preview of the documentary can be viewed here:

http://vimeo.com/17106465

The disc is available for immediate purchase by visiting:
http://bit.ly/CTCVillageDoc

About Control the Chaos:

Young rockers “Control the Chaos” have built an incredible resume which helped skyrocket them to one of the most recognizable names and respected bands within the Vegas metal music scene.

With dedication and an incessant appetite for success, the youngsters held a rapid-fire performance schedule surpassing 200+ shows, self-managing a national tour, securing business sponsorships and winning 2 People's Choice awards for Las Vegas' Best Young Band- all while still attending high school.

So ambitious was the band’s strategic marketing efforts, that by mid-year CTC proudly commanded one of the most coveted achievements in today’s technology driven marketplace: the #1 search return on Google for best young metal band west coast and continues to develop as the internet’s beloved face of adolescent heaviness.

About Heavy Metal-World:

Heavy Metal-World is a new media agency HQ’ed in Los Angeles, CA comprised of industry experts and developed in early 2008 as an innovative way to market, manage, promote and distribute new media and independent music by leveraging emerging platforms and partners.

About Itchy Metal Entertainment:

Recently acquired by Heavy Metal-World, Inc. Itchy Metal Entertainment is a Las Vegas, NV - based music production company. IME specializes in artist development, talent scouting, music recording, producing and distribution as well as internet marketing campaigns and strategies – aka “IME Records”.

HMW Buys Itchy Metal, Signs New Artist & Launches New Label

“We confirm a full buy-out of Las Vegas based, Itchy Metal Entertainment after a year of close evaluation,” states Harley Cantrell, Chief Marketing Officer for Heavy Metal-World.

Heavy Metal-World is a new media agency based in Los Angeles, CA comprised of industry experts and developed in early 2008 as an innovative way to market, manage, promote and distribute new media and independent music by leveraging emerging platforms and partners. HMW set out to find a “secret recipe for success” amongst indie outfits. After much exploration within traditional record label marketing environments, the company took an interest in Itchy Metal Entertainment after a recommendation to investigate the increasing success of the band “Control the Chaos” by an industry tastemaker.

“What we found was a fascinating story. Itchy Metal was able to take four teenagers from obscurity to notoriety in less than 48 months.  Their team made a sudden impact and the industry took notice. They’ve accomplished some very unique things as an independent and we became very intrigued by their formula,” added HMW’s company rep. “We felt this aligned with the new models we’ve been researching and considered IME a very solid investment.”

Established in 2008, Vegas-based Itchy Metal Entertainment is led by Ed Fassio, a tech veteran with over 20 years of professional experience helping break service and revenue records at companies like Adobe Systems, Microsoft Corporation and Apple Computer. “It started out with the simple, self-realization that if I could contribute to the massive success of some of the largest companies in the world, then I should be able to do the same for my own projects. The next day, IME was born,” explains Fassio.

Initially a PR company, Fassio began expanding the capabilities of Itchy Metal Entertainment to support and accelerate the growth of the family music project “Control the Chaos” a young, heavy metal band with notable momentum across the west coast indie music scene.

“Everyone knows that CTC is a literal family. They are all brothers and we all live together. Angie and I spend all of our time with the boys and along with a ton of blessings, that’s some of the magic that makes it all work,” says Fassio.

But Itchy Metal Entertainment quickly became more than just a promo resource. As the band grew, so did the possibilities for IME. “We needed things, we needed more. With big dreams and limited resources, we learned to do everything ourselves. All the artist dev, promoting, booking and merchandising, even the recording and internet strategy, and the tour – it was all from our own resources and relationships. We have an incredible team,” said Angelica Hyder, co-manager of Control the Chaos.

“The terms are confidential, but I can say that we’re extremely pleased with the proposal,” says Fassio. 

He continues: “My intention is to remain in an executive capacity post-acquisition and transition the primary management duties of CTC. There are a lot of moving parts. IME will extend the capabilities of a traditional record label by leveraging new, developing platforms allowing us to take full advantage of the digital marketplace. I’m also extremely proud to announce that “Control the Chaos” will be the first heavy metal artist signed to HMW. Right now, we are actively scouting unique talent for new projects – and not just metal. Heavy Metal World will concentrate on a more aggressive catalog, while Itchy Metal will re-brand into IME Records, serving all genres.”

IME plans to concentrate on the artist development, artist relations, talent scouting and management aspects of the business. HMW will focus attention on promotion, marketing, distribution and merchandising channels. The combined entity will continue to explore new product and service models along with seeking out additional partnerships to enhance and expand resources and offerings.