The third episode of the four part Chi Cheng web series which chronicles his 2008 accident and his ongoing road to recovery can be found online below. As previously reported, the series leads up to the forthcoming free benefit show being thrown for Cheng at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA on August 14th.

P.O.D., Brian “Head” Welch, Living Sacrifice, The Chariot, Secret And Whisper and more will all be taking part in the show, along with live demos from the Metal Mulisha and more. Further details can be found at www.oneloveforchi.com.

Ailing Deftones bassist Chi Cheng has been showing signs of improvement as of late following his 2008 car crash which initially left him comatose. A press release was issued on the matter by the Cheng camp and can be found below:

“At Cheng’s routine checkup on May 19th, 2010, it was apparent to Dr. Joseph Nguyen, who has followed his progress for the past 8 months, that there was marked improvement. He wrote in his progress notes that Cheng was “showing signs of improved Neuro Function and improved alertness at this time. Increased Response to Verbal Stimuli. Directed Movement, with purpose seen and observed.” Amazing report for Cheng, who was involved in a car accident November 3rd, 2008 and spent much of the last 18 months in a semi-conscious state.

According to Cheng’s sister, Mae, Nguyen’s reaction as soon as he walked into the room and saw her brother was profound. “When he came in, he took one look at Dai [Cheng] and was floored. He couldn’t believe it. He saw a man waking up,” This coming after the beginning phases of a very specific ‘wake up’ protocol that was implemented in mid January 2010.

Dr. DeFina, Chief Scientific Officer and founder of International Brain Research Foundation (www.ibrfinc.org) along with Dr. Jonathan Fellus, director of Brain Injury Services at the Kessler Institute, got Cheng started on the groundbreaking protocol that applies already approved medications, electrical stimulation and nutraceuticals to the patient as a virtual cocktail that has had a dramatic impact on his patients. So dramatic that DeFina has an 84% success rate in waking up patients from minimally conscious states or vegetative state comas. The national average for patients emerging from these states is 3 – 7%.

DeFina and colleagues were recently featured on an episode of MTV’s “True Life | I Have Traumatic Brain Injury”. After the episode aired, DeFina told Gina Blackmore of One Love For Chi (www.oneloveforchi.com) that all three of the TBI patients featured on the show, who are all able to walk and talk and continue to strive for improvement, had been like Cheng is now or worse when he had taken them on as patients.

This news is encouraging, but funds are greatly needed to ensure that Cheng can continue on his protocol. Gina Blackmore is determined to raise enough funds to not only keep Cheng in Dr. DeFina’s care, but also to get him into one of the top medical facilities in the nation where he will be under the direct care of the doctors from IBRF. She has set a new goal of $500,000 in order to cover the $2,000 per day cost of staying at the facility for 3-6 months or longer as well as transportation to the facility. It is a lofty goal but well worth the effort to bring Cheng back to his family and friends.

Along with Blackmore, Sonny Sandoval of the band P.O.D. and The Whosoevers (www.thewhosoevers.com) have been a continuing force in fundraising and keeping Cheng on the minds of followers via Facebook. Together they have put a call out to not only friends and fans of Cheng but to bands local, national and international to help their fallen fellow musician with benefit concerts. All funds raised can be paid directly to The Chi Ling Cheng Special Needs Trust by clicking the donate button at www.oneloveforchi.com.

For more information on fundraising news, events, updates on Cheng’s continuing recovery and messages from family and friends visit www.oneloveforchi.com.”

Intimate live footage filmed from the stage of members of Metallica, System Of A Down, Deftones, Children Of Bodom and more performing a cover of Metallica’s “Battery” during a soundcheck has made its way online and can be seen below.

The footage looks to come from one of the Deftones‘ benefit shows for their ailing bassist Chi Cheng which took place last November.

Suicide Silence, P.O.D., Inhale Exhale, The Letter Black and more performed covers of Deftones songs at this past weekends benefit show for ailing Deftones bassist Chi Cheng -- who continues his recovery from a car accident that took place back in November of 2008.

The show, which was held at The Slidebar Cafe in Fullerton, CA this past Saturday January 16th, saw members of members of the Deftones, Korn, P.O.D., Suicide Silence, Skid Row, Chevelle, Dream Theater, Machine Head and more take to the stage.

Those interested in helping out Cheng can find more details at www.oneloveforchi.com. Meanwhile, fan-filmed footage of the following performances from the show have surfaced online:

The Deftones have now set an April 27th release date for their as-yet untitled new album. The effort was recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Trivium, Shadows Fall) and features bass tracks done by Sergio Vega, the current replacement for ailing bassist Chi Cheng. Cheng has been sidelined by a car accident that took place in November of 2008.

In a new interview with Noisecreep, band frontman Chino Moreno described the album as reminiscent of “Around The Fur” and “White Pony“. He also mentioned that the band plan to begin touring in support of it in February.

Other topics addressed in the interview include the condition of Cheng, and the recent benefit concerts thrown for him, plus the current state of the bands shelved album “Eros“, and more. You can check all that out at the aforementioned link.

The Dillinger Escape Plan frontman Greg Puciato recently posted on Twitter that he has been writing and recording a duet with Max Cavalera of Soulfly/Sepultura fame as of late. Further details were not offered. Puciato had the following to say on the matter:

“Writing/recording a duet with Max Cavalera, very Chaos AD era. Fuck yeah! Great experience with a living legend.”

Soulfly have been in the studio this month recording their new album. The Dillinger Escape Plan on the other hand are nearly done mixing their new effort, “Option Paralysis“, and will release it on March 23rd, 2010 through their own Party Smasher Inc. label in association with Season Of Mist.

In addition to that, Puciato also recently addressed his live performances with the Deftones at the bands two benefit shows for their bassist Chi Cheng which took place this past weekend in Hollywood, CA. You can find out what he had to say about the shows here.

The Deftones were once again joined on stage by a number of their peers for the second of their two benefit concerts thrown for band bassist Chi Cheng at the Avalon in Hollywood, CA yesterday, November 20th.

Confirmed guests include members of Suicidal Tendencies, Children Of Bodom, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Metallica, while the group also were joined by System Of A Down’s Shavo Odadjian and Daron Malakian for collaborative covers of the latters “Toxicity” and “Aerials“.

A cover of Metallica’s “Battery” was also performed. For now, a picture of what is said to have been the set list for the second benefit show (November 20th) can be seen online here. While the latest fan-filmed footage to surface online from both nights performances can be seen below:

“Aerials” (System Of A Down cover) (with members of System Of A Down):

“Battery” (Metallica cover) (with members of System Of A Down, Children Of Bodom, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Metallica):

“War Inside My Head” (Suicidal Tendencies cover) (with Robert Trujillo and members of Suicidal Tendencies:

“Engine No. 9” (feat. Robert Trujillo of Metallica):

“No Ordinary Love” (Sade cover) (with members of Far):

“Head Up” (with Richie Cavelera of Incite):

“Street Carp” (with Ben Kenney of Incubus):

“Knife Party” (with Rodleen Getsic):

“Jailbreak” (Thin Lizzy cover) (with Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray):

“My Own Summer (Shove It)“:

“Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)“:

“Xerces“:

“Minerva“:

The Dillinger Escape Plan, Linkin Park, Far, Motley Crue, Cypress Hill and more joined the band for the first (November 19th) benefit show. The concerts took place to raise money for the mounting medical costs incurred by Deftones bassist Chi Cheng’s car accident in November of 2008.

Those interested in helping out with Chi Cheng’s ongoing recovery can find more information at www.oneloveforchi.com. Furthermore an auction featuring a number of unique items and experiences to benefit Cheng is also underway here. The Deftones will release their new album in February.

The Deftones have added a second benefit show for ailing bassist Chi Cheng. The group will now be performing at the Avalon in Hollywood, CA on November 19th and November 20th.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Chi Ling Cheng Special Needs Trust, which has been setup to help cover the medical costs incurred by Cheng’s accident this past November and his ongoing recovery. A new album from the band is tentatively expected to see a release in February.