The fourth installment of the Rockstar Mayhem Festival invades the White River Amphitheatre this Tuesday, bringing along 13 of the heaviest metal bands in the business.

The summer’s festival will again feature a mix of established bands – such as main stage headliners Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth and Machine Head – and lesser-known acts such as Suicide Silence and Straight Line Stitch, both playing on the Jägermeister and Revolver stages.

For Alexis Brown, lead singer of Straight Line Stitch, the tour is an opportunity to build on the momentum her band has experienced since the March release of its second album, “The Fight of Our Lives.”

“I’m still flabbergasted that we’re a part of something so big,” Brown said. “We watched other bands we know on this and they were all, ‘You have to get on Mayhem.’ But it’s not just something you can just jump on.

“But this is very conducive to our career,” she said. “We just want to get new fans, hang out and network. We’re just here to enjoy this time, get experiences and see where it takes us.”

In addition to the first-timers, the festival also will feature returning bands, such as Suicide Silence, which played on the inaugural tour in 2008.

At the time the Riverside, Calif.-based metal band had just released its debut album, “The Cleansing.” Since then, Suicide Silence has cracked the top 40 with its sophomore album, “No Time to Bleed”, and is preparing to release a third album, “The Black Crown.”

“It is my proudest moment in music,” guitarist Mark Heylmun said about the new album. “Every song stands out … everything about it is groovy and badass. It’s the heaviest thing we have done. The songs are all anthems, and the riffs are all tasty and better than anything we’ve ever done.”

Also returning for a second go-around are San Francisco-based Machine Head, which played on the second stage in 2008 and will release its seventh album, “Unto The Locust”, in September.

“We’d do this every year if we could,” guitarist Phil Demmell said. “It’s great, it’s heavy metal summer camp … being a part of this rolling carnival is pretty cool.”

In addition to just being a good time for the bands, Demmell said festivals like Mayhem are crucial for exposure.

“It’s huge, especially for bands in the states,” Demmel said. “A lot of people won’t come out for the club shows, but they’ll come out for the big event.”

And it’s not just about the bands, according to Brown.

“I generally think it’s something where you can express what you’re feeling,” Brown said. “Heavy music does that. So I think there is a call for heavier music so people can put their frustration into something constructive, rather than destructive. Heavy music provides that outlet.”

Mayhem rolls into the White River Amphitheatre beginning at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, featuring Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Machine Head, In Flames; Trivium, Suicide Silence, Unearth, All Shall Perish, Kingdom of Sorrow, Straight Line Stitch, Red Fang and Drown Mary.

Tickets are available at www.livenation.com.