First-Ever 'Metal Summit' To Take Place During NEW ENGLAND METAL AND HARDCORE FESTIVAL

New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Crimson Management and The Syndicate have announced the first-ever Metal Summit on April 25. The Metal Summit is an interactive and educational conference where fans and the metal music industry can engage, share ideas and help further the scene. The Metal Summit will give labels, managers, agents, endorsers, publishers, media promoters, bands and more the chance to interact with the people who buy albums, tickets and merchandise. This is also an opportunity for fans to ask key members in the industry how they got started and gain advice on starting their own careers. After all, everyone in the music industry started out as a fan.

The Metal Summit is brought to you by The Syndicate's "The Believers In the Power of Metal" (BITPOM) network. BITPOM is the world's first interactive forum for fans, bands and the metal music industry to interact. Through the BITPOM network, fans can have their say. It's free to join and anyone who is a Believer in the Power of Metal can sign up, create their own profile and participate in all discussions. BITPOM is located at www.bitpom.com. Admission to the Metal Summit is free with sign-up to the BITPOM network.

Metal Summit location:

Hilton Garden Inn
35 Major Taylor Blvd
Worcester, MA 01608

The Summit will consist of two 60-minute seminars "Ask the Industry" and "Ask the Fans" comprised of industry professionals and fans. Admission is free with sign-up to BITPOM network.

Session One: Ask the Industry (1:30 -2:30)

Panel of industry professionals includes:

* Brian Slagel, Chairman/CEO of Metal Blade Records (Moderator)
* Vaughn Lewis, Co-Owner of Strong Management
* Jesse Brust, Owner of 518 Prints and All in Merch
* Kelly Kapp, Vice President of Theater and Club Programming for Live Nation
* Matt Pike, Owner/Agent of The Kenmore Agency
* Mike Gitter, Senior Director of A&R of Roadrunner Records
* Allen Steelgrave - Director of Marketing/Artist Relations ESP Guitars
* Izzy Zivkovic, Founder/CEO of Split Media

Session Two: Ask the Fans (3:00 4:00)

Rev. David Ciancio, Owner of The Syndicate (Moderator)

Panel to consist of members of BITPOM.com. Panel to be selected based on highest level of activity of members within BITPOM that subscribe to Summit profile and would like to participate in the Summit.

Sign up as a member of BITPOM at www.bitpom.com to gain admittance to the Metal Summit at this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. The seven BITPOM members with the most friends added on BITPOM.com by 5:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 23 will be selected as panelists for the Metal Summit. Panelists will receive a prize pack from the NEMHF sponsors. Prizes will also be given away during the Metal Summit including access to a VIP post-Metal Summit party, hosted by The Syndicate (details to be announced).

"We are very proud to be part of a scene where people can share ideas, communicate and see those ideas turn into something great," New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and Crimson Management's Leah Urbano says. "We believe the Metal Summit will provide an outlet to bring people together to achieve this."

"I am honored and excited to moderate a panel at the first Metal Summit," Metal Blade Records Chairman/CEO Brian Slagel says. "I think this is a great way for all of us to communicate and am looking forward to seeing everyone there."

"For more than 10 years The Syndicate has worked behind the scenes to help market and promote metal and hardcore to the masses," The Syndicate owner Rev. David Ciancio says. "We wanted to devise a way to put the power in the hands of the people who love the music the most and that is where we came up with the idea of the BITPOM network."