Madina Lake is a pop punk/rock that officially formed in 2005 when twin brothers Nathan and Matthew Leone, both former members of The Blank Theory got the money to make their demo from winning Fear Factor twins. The $50,000 was the start up money for Madina Lake. Completing the 4-piece band is Mateo Camargo and Dan Torelli, former members of Chicago rock band Reforma.
The past few months for Madina Lake have been tumultuous to say the least. In June 2010, Madina Lake bassist Matthew Leone was hospitalized after intervening in a domestic violence incident in Chicago involving a man beating his wife. In critical condition, Leone's injuries included a fractured skull, broken jaw and a swollen brain as doctors removed one-third of his skull while waiting for the swelling in his brain to go down. Local musicians and supporters pulled together to raise money for Matthew's hospital bills with The Smashing Pumpkins playing a benefit show in Chicago raising over $80,000. A lot of uncertainty followed, with doubts that Madina Lake would ever play together again. Fortunately, Matthew's recovery in the last year has been nothing short of miraculous and on April 23rd 2011, the band made a triumphant return in sold-out homecoming show in Chicago.
Madina Lake's new album will be the third and final instalment of their concept trilogy, World War III which continues the Leone brothers' tales of a metaphorical universe. Pouring their life experiences into their songs, Madina Lake set out to release three album which would congruently tell the story of Madina Lake, a small town of their own creation, which would also serve as the canvas for a much larger message. The first chapter, 2007's From Them, Through Us, to You (Roadrunner Records), introduced the town set in the 1950's and the story is focused on the town socialite (Adalia), who goes missing, and the reaction the town's inhabitants have - a commentary on society's obsession with celebrity and materialism. The second chapter, 2009's Attics to Eden (Roadrunner Records), continued the search for the missing socialite while introducing other characters to the world outside Madina Lake as well as exploring Adalia's journey. The album dove into the psychological aspects of the society and what truly separates and degrades humanity when elements of greed, lying, cheating, violence, power struggles and insecurity are displayed. In the final chapter, World War III, concludes with the discovery of Adalia and an epic battle of good and evil that mirrors human internal struggles with self.
