THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will perform a benefit concert next Tuesday, July 27 at Chicago’s Metro to raise money for medical care for MADINA LAKE bassist Matthew Leone. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday July 21 at noon – full ticketing information is below. Support will come from Kill Hannah.

Earlier this month, Madina Lake bassist Matthew Leone was hospitalized with severe brain trauma after intervening to stop a woman he passed on the street from being beaten by her husband. Upon seeing the incident, Matthew immediately intervened and managed to subdue the attacker but as he waited for police to arrive, the attacker suddenly turned on Matthew, beating him severely and leaving Matthew unconscious on the street. Matthew was taken to UIC Hospital for emergency brain surgery wherein a third of his skull was removed to alleviate swelling. He’s now undergoing additional brain surgery to reapply the removed portion of his skull. Alleged suspect Justin Pivec is currently charged with Aggravated Battery Causing Serious Bodily Harm and out on bail pending a forthcoming hearing.

As a musician, Matthew spends most of his life on tour and unfortunately his medical insurance had lapsed just two months prior to the incident. Friends of the band and the Chicago music community are rallying to help provide for Matthew’s medical needs and the Smashing Pumpkins benefit is the latest in a stream of efforts to raise funds for Matthew.

Tickets for the benefit will be made available via raffle. Individuals can enter the raffle as many times as they wish for $10 each entry. A majority of the venue will be sold to raffle winners. Each winner will receive two tickets to the concert. Tickets are not transferable and winners must show ID matching their raffle entry. Raffle tickets will be available for sale through Metro website only beginning Wednesday July 21 at noon at www.metrochicago.com. The raffle will end at 2pm on Saturday July 24, 2010, and winners will be notified via email at 5pm on Saturday July 24, 2010.

There will also be a very limited amount of balcony VIP tickets put onsale for those fans who want to make a larger donation and ensure entry into this special event for $100 each. Balcony VIP tickets will go on sale Wednesday July 21 at noon.

Additionally, a limited amount of soundcheck VIP tickets will be available for $500 each. The soundcheck VIP event (approximately 30 minutes), set for the late afternoon, includes a meet and greet/photo with the Pumpkins and merchandise items, plus a seat at a table in the balcony for the show; this package is priced at $500 per person. Soundcheck VIP tickets will be available Wednesday July 21 at noon at www.metrochicago.com.

“Matthew and I have been completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of compassion and support during this impossible time. It has proved that there are far more amazing people in the world than any other kind and we’re grateful beyond words,” said Nathan Leone, Matthew’s twin brother and Madina Lake bandmate. “Being among the biggest Smashing Pumpkins fans in the world, we still haven’t processed the fact that they are contributing in such an unprecedented way. Not only is this going to be a monumental event in our lives but more importantly it’s a massive statement against domestic violence, violence against women and violence in general.”

All proceeds from the raffle and concert will go to the Matthew Leone Fund at Sweet Relief. Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a non profit 501(c)(3) which organization provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. For more information on Sweet Relief, visit www.sweetrelief.org.

Stay tuned to www.throughthepain.org for full info on fundraising for Matthew Leone.

Due to phenomenal demand, an extra London show has been added to the forthcoming STONE SOUR tour with Avenged Sevenfold. The extra show, which is on the 31st October is already on sale and selling FAST.

If you are wanting to catch the tour in London you should head to Live Nation’s website NOW to pick up tickets. Show one sold out in 1 day. Full tour dates are as follows:

Tue 26th Oct – GLASGOW SECC
Wed 27th Oct – MANCHESTER Academy
Thu 28th Oct – BIRMINGHAM NIA
Sat 30th Oct – LONDON HMV Hammersmith Apollo **SOLD OUT**
Sun 31st Oct – LONDON HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Tue 2nd Nov – NEWCASTLE O2 Academy
Wed 3rd Nov – LEEDS O2 Academy
Thu 4th Nov – MANCHESTER Academy
Sat 6th Nov – PLYMOUTH Pavilions
Sun 7th Nov – BRIGHTON Centre

Some regional dates are also VERY close to selling out. We advise you move fast if you want to catch a show on this tour.

Stone Sour’s new album AUDIO SECRECY will hit a store near you on September 6th. Pick up current single Mission Statement over at iTunes now. Check out Say You’ll Haunt Me, HERE. The track will be available digitally from August 1st.

Last week Rock Sound loaded the first in a three part series of video interviews with 36 CRAZYFISTS front man Brock Lindow about the band’s forthcomg album COLLISIONS AND CASTAWAYS.

In that interview, Brock discussed the album’s title and song meanings and the vibe when the album was recorded. If you missed that, you can check that out now in the player below.

In part 2, which you can check out NOW on the Rock Sound website HERE, Brock talks about what guitarist Steve Holt is like to work with when he has his producer hat on and legendary metal producer and mixer Andy Sneap’s involvement with the album.

Part 3 will be posted over at Rock Sound site on Thursday (23/07).

Collisions And Castaways hits UK stores on the 26th July. You can pre-order your copy HERE. The bands full list of October tour dates can be found on out Tours Page.

STONE SOUR front man Corey Taylor was in Las Vegas this past weekend as a case of the masks and uniforms he has worn on stage with Slipknot, as well as some of his plaques, photographs and some other special collectibles were unveiled at the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas.

Whilst there, Corey performed acoustically for local station KOMP and in the player below you can see him perform a cover of the track ‘Nutshell’, an Alice In Chains classic.

Corey will perform acoustically at this years SONISPHERE FESTIVAL. If you’re there, make sure you check his set out.

Stone Sour are set to release their new album AUDIO SECRECY on September 6th. Check out forthcoming single ‘Say You’ll Haunt Me’ HERE. The track will be available digitally on the 1st August.

They will tour later this year with Avenged Sevenfold. Tickets are on sale now and going fast! Check out the dates and buy online HERE.

SOULFLY have announced that they have parted ways with bassist Bobby Burns. The split was completely amicable and there was no animosity on either side.

Johny Chow, who played with Soulfly’s Max Cavalera in Cavalera Conspiracy and is a member of Fireball Ministry, will be loaning his skills to upcoming Soulfly tours for the immediate future until the position is filled. Fans will be able to check out this rare, “limited edition” lineup at Sonisphere, the UK headline shows and Wacken in Germany this August.

The UK tour dates rack up as follows and tickets are on sale now:

Sun 1st Aug – DUBLIN Academy
Mon 2nd Aug – BELFAST Spring & Airbrake
Tue 3rd Aug – CARDIFF Millenium Music Hall
Wed 4th Aug – STOKE Sugarmill

The band are touring in support of their new album OMEN which is in stores NOW. Check out the video below for Rise Of The Fallen, and if you like what you hear, you can pick up the album AT THIS LOCATION.

Tickets for the tour can be picked up over at our Tours Page.

One week today, 36 CRAZYFISTS will release their new album COLLISIONS AND CASTAWAYS. First single Reviver is already available on iTunes, but we wanted to give you an opportunity to hear another track on the album.

Head to the Roadrunner Records UK homepage NOW and you can listen to the track ‘Whitewater’ from the album- but hurry! This will only be there until 4pm on Wednesday July 21st!!

If you like what you hear, then you can pre-order the album HERE.

The band will hit the UK on a co-headline tour with label mates DevilDriver in November. Dates are as follows and tickets are on sale NOW. Pick them up at our Tours Page.

Fri 5th Nov – NEWCASTLE O2 Academy
Sat 6th Nov – LEEDS O2 Academy
Sun 7th Nov – GLASGOW The Arches
Mon 8th Nov – NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Tue 9th Nov – WOLVERHAMPTON Wulfrun Hall
Wed 10th Nov – BOURNEMOUTH O2 Academy
Fri 12th Nov – BRISTOL O2 Academy
Sat 13th Nov – LONDON HMV Forum
Sun 14th Nov – MANCHESTER Academy

Last week, KERRANG brought you the new video from MURDERDOLLS– the awesome MY DARK PLACE ALONE. Just in case you missed that, we have the video for you right here, right now! Check it out in the player below.

The single ‘My Dark Place Alone’ is available on iTunes and all the usual digital retailers NOW. The track is taken from the band’s forthcoming album WOMEN AND CHILDREN LAST, which hits stores on August 30th. Pre-order the album online HERE.

The band will head to the UK in September to play Ozzfest on September 18th.

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Tour is well under way across the pond and ROLLING STONE have loaded some awesome live pics of some of your Roadrunner faves as they wow the crowds.

HEAD HERE to see pics of KO퐌¿N, ROB ZOMBIE, ATREYU, LAMB OF GOD and HATEBREED!!!

For confirmed UK touring plans of all the bands on the ROADRUNNER UK ROSTER head on over to the Tours Page.

Have a burning question for KO퐌¿N? Always fancied a bit of a chat with the guys? Well this week you get your chance!

On Thursday 22nd July, Ko퐌¿n will be online for a live video webchat over at STICKAM.COM. They will be online from 7pm Eastern time (USA) which is around midnight here in the UK.

To join the action HEAD TO THIS LOCATION at the aforementioned time.

The band are currently on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival over in the USA. Us folks in the UK will get to see them when they hit the UK for Ozzfest in London on September 18th. They will also play the following headline shows:

Fri 8th Oct – SOUTHAMPTON Guildhall
Sat 9th Oct – WOLVERHAMPTON Civic Hall
Sun 10th Oct – MANCHESTER Apollo

Tickets are on sale now. Grab then online here. The band are touring in support of their new album KORN III- REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE which hit stores last week. That lil beatuy can be picked up in all good record stores on online HERE.

Zakk’s call to all the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY Berzerkers on the BLSOfficial YouTube Channel to motivate off their couches, recliners and barstools with their digital video cameras is a first in the band’s history. The results as Zakk would say, “will be un- f’n believable.”

It’s time to fire up your java maker,-fuel up- and grab the nearest Flip video camera (or any other digital recording device) and start shooting! But be careful, and make sure you don’t “go breaking any laws!” says Zakk. The winning video entry or footage will be used as the official “Parade Of The Dead” video online, and perhaps elsewhere too…

The winner will also recieve a full band autographed “The Black Label Order” box set and 4 additional BLS Tee Shirts. Three additional runners up will receive full band autographed CD’s of “The Black Label Order” and a BLS Tee Shirt as well. You have until 5am UK time on August 2nd to submit a video response to Zakk’s BLS Parade Of The Dead contest via youtube.

Check out Zakk’s invite in the player below and head to THIS LOCATION for the full rules of the competition.

Parade Of The Dead is the first single from the band’s forthcoming album Order Of The Black, which will be released digitally August 9th and will hit UK stores on the 23rd August. You can pre-order the latter online HERE.