From METALLICA, photos concert in Solo, Indonesia, August 25th, 2013

What an amazing show to end this run of shows in Asia. That was the loudest I ever heard a crowd sing Sandman in a very long time. Plus a few mosh pits broke out during Seek. Full setlist is up, pics to come...

Avenged Sevenfold: Tapping its partnership with gaming franchise 'Call of Duty,' Avenged Sevenfold is poised for big things with the old-school metal wallop of "Hail to the King"

Last October, metal five-piece Av­enged Sevenfold scored perhaps the biggest booking of any musical act outside of the Grammys.

It wasn't an awards show, it wasn't a festival date-it wasn't even a physical appearance. Instead, the band appeared in animated form during the end credits of Activision's "Call of Duty: Black Ops II," performing a custom-made song called "Carry On" and becoming part of videogame history in the process. In its first 15 days of release, "Black Ops II" became the fastest-selling game to pass the $1 billion mark and the largest entertainment launch in Hollywood history, exposing Avenged Sevenfold to millions of fans in the process. A YouTube clip of the band's cameo has racked up 6.2 million views. Not bad for a band that refuses to play the talk-show circuit.

"I don't want the fair-weather fans, the soccer moms who watch 'Jimmy Kimmel' to discover us that way," says Sevenfold lead singer Matt Sanders, who performs as M. Shadows. "I want the people who grew up listening to AC/DC and Slayer, and if we can figure out the right way to have those people see a snippet of what you'd see at a festival or a live show, we'll do it."

Though "Carry On" was physically released this year only as a Record Store Day exclusive-selling 3,000 copies, according to Warner Bros. Records marketing assistant Jamil Baldwin-it set a dramatic precedent for Hail to the King, the band's sixth album and most cinematic in scope to date. Opener "Shepherd of Fire" has a 70-second introduction filled with brooding brass, crunchy riffs and heart-racing drums so ripe for an action movie that "Call of Duty" publisher Treyarch immediately selected it to score a key scene in "Apocalypse," the fourth and final download pack for "Black Ops II." And in a serendipitous synchronizing of marketing rollouts, "Apocalypse" arrives the same day as "Hail to the King." That could give the album an extra exposure boost to help it beat the first-week sales of the band's last outing, "Nightmare," which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in August 2010 with 163,000 copies, Avenged Sevenfold's best sales week to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Other musicians have been a part of "Call of Duty"-Trent Reznor composed the theme music for "Black Ops II," and Eminem just debuted his first single in three years in the trailer for upcoming "threequel" "Ghosts." But few have had the in-game exposure, and real-life camaraderie with the publishers, as Avenged has. Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia first tapped the band in 2011 for a zombie-themed "Call of Duty" update dubbed "Call of the Dead"-the result of a frenzied search to find the right band that could create an original song in a rather tight three-month time frame.

"Up until that point, we had composed all our signature songs with our composer Kevin Sherwood, and it was very metal-influenced and built kind of a cult following," Lamia recalls. "We wanted to see what we could do with a band, and it didn't take long before there was an Avenged Sevenfold CD in here. I met with Matt, and it became clear that he was very ­serious about 'Call of Duty' and had a passion for the franchise and loved it and got what we were trying to make. It was one of those meetings where everything came together."

Not only did the initial meeting result in a brand-new Avenged Sevenfold track ("Not Ready to Die") to score the zombie slaughter-not to mention a later use of Nightmare for one of the game's expansion packs-a more personal relationship emerged. Today, Lamia and Shadows go to Laker games together, trade advice as new fathers and attend Major League Gaming tournaments. In June, Shadows attended his first MLG Spring Championship in Anaheim, Calif., as both a spectator and competitor, only to see his team's beaten-by-the-clock elimination voted one of the event's "Top Fails."

Shadows' passion for gaming extends to the road, too, as each concert has a custom-built room known as "Fort Knox" for him to play Xbox before shows. "Matt was telling me when he was recording Hail to the King he was playing the original 'Black Ops,'" Lamia says. "We're both marrying our passion to our work. He's marrying his passion with the music, and we get to work with this amazing, accomplished act and it's a real, genuine collaboration. The respect that comes with that and being able to work with those guys is pretty awesome."

The culture around first-person shooter games has been a part of every step of "Hail to the King"'s marketing rollout, beginning with a series of game-like scavenger hunts held in key venues around the world in New York, Rio de Janeiro, Helsinki, London, Stockholm and Berlin. Using the band's official Twitter account (@TheOfficialA7X; 926,000 followers), an augmented-reality app and media partners like Revolver magazine, Avenged Sevenfold dropped clues in real-world locations where fans could unlock the album's title, artwork and release date, and additional special prizes.

The Brazil version gave five fans a pair of tickets to Rock in Rio. The New York version led fans to a studio where the band was mixing the album, allowing a very devoted group to hear the new music months before anyone else. Additional contests gave fans tickets to a free show at Los Angeles' Palladium on Aug. 26, the eve of the album's release.

What new Batman Ben Affleck brings to Dark Knight legacy

Batman vs. Superman

Superman and Batman will team up in an as-yet-untitled movie sequel to this year's "Man of Steel." The actors and their characters:

Oscar-winning actor dons the cowl for a 'Man of Steel' sequel, to mixed reactions.

Everyone, from fans to celebrities, has an opinion of Ben Affleck cast as the new Batman in a "Man of Steel" sequel.(Photo: Robyn Beck, AFP/Getty Images)

Holy mixed reactions, Batman.

A flurry of activity on social media and in pop-culture circles ignited Thursday night when Warner Bros. announced Oscar-winning actor Ben Affleck as the newest guy to take the cape, cowl and mantle of the Dark Knight and his billionaire secret identity as Bruce Wayne.

Affleck will make his first appearance in the Man of Steel sequel opposite Henry Cavill as Superman, slated to open July 17, 2015.

Fans in favor of the move used hashtags such as "#Batfleck" to voice their approval of Affleck joining the list of Batman actors, which includes (most recently) Christian Bale, George Clooney, Val Kilmer, Michael Keaton and, on TV, Adam West. Others were more snarky about the casting, opining with "#BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck."

According to social-media research film Fizziology, 71% of the 96,088 tweets in the first hour after the news broke were negative. Of those, 12% wanted Bale to return as the Dark Knight and 10% referenced Affleck's previous superhero role in 2003'sDaredevil.

But Affleck played the blind Marvel Comics superhero in "a superhero-moviemaking mind-set we've moved light years beyond," says Scott Beggs, managing editor of the film website FilmSchoolRejects.com. "Ultimately, it was a bad movie for a lot of reasons. Fans should not resort to decade-old Hollywood math to assume that Affleck can't pull off wearing a cape."

Earlier this summer, eagle-eyed moviegoers had a clue where Man of Steel director Zack Snyder was taking things with the blink-and-you'll-miss-it inclusion of a Wayne Industries satellite in a scene above the Earth. And at Comic-Con in July, Snyder announced that the Caped Crusader would be in the Man of Steel follow-up, adding that the antagonistic Batman/Superman relationship from Frank Miller's seminal comic The Dark Knight Returns would inform the new film.

"Ben provides an interesting counterbalance to Henry's Superman," Snyder says. "He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crimefighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne."

Peter Sciretta, editor-in-chief of the movie site slashfilm.com, thinks it's telling that Snyder chose a 41-year-old for his Batman. Chances are the character will be much different from the one in the Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton movies, Sciretta says, and Affleck could thrive in the role of an older, more conflicted vigilante millionaire.

"In Man of Steel, Superman was so careless in that final battle, letting much of Metropolis end in ruin, allowing so many civilian casualties," Sciretta says. "The fate of Metropolis was a big problem a lot of fans had with the film, and I expect that that destruction will be a huge part of why Batman will be hunting down Superman in this next film."

From a business perspective for Warner Bros., "it makes a lot of sense to have Affleck in that fold not only as an actor but possibly as a director in future installments," says Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. "When you look at the big picture, it's exactly the right choice."

Affleck was an "unsurprising shock" to Beggs. He thought Warner Bros. would go younger for a new take on the 74-year-old DC Comics icon. But it made sense, Beggs says, and Affleck's performances in Argo,The Town,Company Men and Boiler Room show that he at least has the acting chops for the role.

"They're enough to make us believe he'll do a strong job in the role, which is one that requires he play both a square-jawed billionaire playboy — which I think no one is going to argue that he doesn't have down, since he is a square-jawed millionaire playboy at least — and also a brooding crime-fighter with a rodent-shaped chip on his shoulder," Beggs says.

He feels Affleck will fall somewhere between Keaton and Bale in the legacy of Batman thespians.

"He can pull off the emotion of the father issues and the loss issues and the isolation without coming off like a jerk the way that Bale's Bruce Wayne tended to come off," Beggs says. "That was a huge dichotomy and a big gulf between the Batman and the Bruce Wayne characters there, and I see Affleck able to pull off a tighter balance between debonair and then also formidable as a fighter."

There is also a lot of goodwill in Hollywood and positive vibes off of Affleck's recent career resurgence, Bock says. That night earlier this year when the Argo director ended the Academy Awards ceremony with a best-picture Oscar in his hands, "he was the most popular man in town and in some respects still is the hottest director in town. If you put him in your film, it's going to make it that much better.''

His ascendence mirrors in a way what Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. has done in the movies of Marvel Studios. While DC and Warner Bros.' superhero rivals still have the upper hand in terms of box office and influence — Man of Steel did well this summer, but Iron Man 3 did better — adding Affleck as a building block to the foundation of a DC cinematic universe and not rushing to a multi-superhero Justice League movie is the right decision, Beggs says.

What could be interesting, though, is that the sequel will be a Superman-centric movie. Yet Batman is arguably a more popular character and the guy under the cowl is a lot more recognizable worldwide than the guy with the "S" on his chest.

"It'll be undeniably a challenge for Cavill onscreen to do the scene work with Affleck," Beggs says. "But Affleck's also proven that he's an actor's actor and an actor's director. He can bring a lot of knowledge and storytelling wisdom."

Affleck's notoriety, however, is a drawback for Jill Pantozzi, an associate editor for geek-culture site TheMarySue.com.

"He's too big a name and too recognizable as 'Ben Affleck.' How many iconic roles has he actually brought to life?" she asks. "All I see is him onscreen instead of the character he's playing. That's not always a bad thing, but in this case I'm worried it will hurt the film. He'll probably pull off Bruce Wayne's public persona well, but I'm not so sure about his private one, or Batman."

Affleck's fellow celebs shared their reactions on social media, including Affleck's' longtime pal — and Batman fanatic himself — Kevin Smith. "Do you what this means? It means that I've seen Batman naked!!!" tweeted the filmmaker and Affleck's director on Chasing Amy,Mallrats and Jersey Girl.

Richard Dreyfuss joked, "You read for a part, you feel good about it, you feel confident, then they cast Ben Affleck." Comedian Patton Oswalt said he hopes Affleck "fights the Joke-ah! #wickedpissah," referring to the actor's penchant for on-screen Boston accents. And 30 Rock star Judah Friedlander remarked that "I cannot play Batman. I beat up Batman so badly, he applied for a transfer to Marvel Comics."

Even "The Batman" on Twitter chimed in. And he was not kind: "Ben Affleck officially cast as Batman in the Man of Steel sequel. For the first time in history, I kind of want Superman to win."

Heidi MacDonald of the comics-culture site The Beat says that, "like many internet casting outcries, this one will die down in the intervening two years. He certainly has the good looks, height and strong chin required for wearing the cowl.

"I mean, it could have been Nicolas Cage."

Read more >>>

How to choose couple ???

In matters of selecting a spouse, both men and women have the right to choose the right partner. It is known in Islam whose name is 'kufu' (viable and harmonious), and a guardian has the right marriage partner for her daughter to pick someone who sekufu, although the meaning kufu most common among the scholars is co-religionists.

Other meanings such as matches, is also the meaning that can not be denied, thus SELECTION PROCESS THAT HAPPENS TO ANY MALE OR FEMALE. On the other hand that choosing a life partner by considering the various sides, provided at a reasonable considerations as well as Islamic, the representation is a necessity of life and liberty of God which He bestowed on every human being, including in choosing a husband or wife. Aisyah Ra said, 'Marriage is the essence of servitude, then he should see where his honor will be placed'.

To further solidify the choice if we are confused we can do good istikhorah prayers at midnight and in the beginning, and do it repeatedly. If it has been done many times so DEFINITENESS THAT THERE IS A GOD willing, HIS INSTRUCTIONS, AND THAT'S MORE FOLLOWED. But keep in mind, that information is dominant in a person are often more influential on istikhorah, therefore it needs to be done many times.

Prophet also said, 'He who match his honor with the ungodly he had cut her womb' (HR Ibnu Hibban). The Prophet also gave consideration to a sahabiyah who came to him as he requested consideration of two people who would propose, then the Prophet replied, 'As for Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, he's very light hand (aka easy to hit), while the other is that poor people do not have a lot of treasure. " Then the Prophet married her to Zaid bin Harithah. 

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A Twitter Hashtag Is All Indonesian Fans Need to Get Them to Metallica

Need money for the concert? Marcel Thee finds the social media movement for you !!!

By Marcel Thee on 12:00 pm July 19, 2013.

Metallica is one of the most popular bands in the world, and Demi Metallica is helping Indonesian fans get to their Jakarta show on Aug. 25. (EPA Photo/Marcelo Sayao)

What sacrifices would you make to see your favorite band? As the Internet movement “Demi Metallica,” or “For [the love of] Metallica” shows, if that band is Metallica, you’d be willing to do almost anything.

For many, music was, and perhaps still is, a form of salvation; a ready companion whose sounds track a wide range of emotions fitting different needs. When it’s right, music can be sad, happy, angry, disappointed, dejected or celebratory along with you — it can be anything its listener needs it to be.

It is no surprise that, as one of the biggest bands in the world, Metallica has legions who feel exactly this way about the band. This is, after all, a band that has sold more than 100 million records since forming in the early 1980s, earned countless accolades, had movies made about it (including one coming soon to IMAX theaters) and generally remained relevant through changes in the musical landscape.

People of different ages, ethnicities and backgrounds make up Metallica’s following — sharing the same undying passion. Indonesian Metallica fans are no exception, playing a major part of what is sometimes dubbed the Metal Militia.

Judging from its dramatic tag, “Demi Metallica” may be a novel movement, triggered by confirmation of the band’s visit in August. But it also shows just how far-reaching the band’s brand of heavy metal is. Metallica’s music seems to connect with those even in non-English speaking countries.

Metallica’s last show in Indonesia was at the peak of its commercial popularity in 1993, two years after the release of the multimillion selling self-titled album (often referred to as the “Black Album” due to the palette of its cover sleeve).

At the time, it was one of the biggest shows that the country has ever hosted, and it ended with bang. The riot that ensued — due to many people trying to get in for free — left trails of burning cars and destroyed public properties, not to mention uncounted physical injuries from the fight between rioters and the police. Suffice to say, the band has not returned since.

Now that it is, fans are making damn sure they have enough money in their pockets to secure a ticket. And if they don’t then “Demi Metallica” is here to help.

It began as a hashtag on Twitter, with people posting things they wanted to sell to fund those tickets. Soon, the hashtag became an account, and the topic began trending in Twitter.

Adityo Pratomo was just another fan enthusiastic about Metallica’s impending visit. When he setup the Demi Metallica Twitter account, little did he know how strong the response to his idea would be.

“It was one day before the official announcement of the concerts but the rumors were going strong. I was on a flight to Yogyakarta from Jakarta and I had just sold a computer soundcard to my friend. It hit me that I couldn’t be the only person in the country who was starting to sell some of their belongings for the concert,” Adityo explained.

He planned on setting up a website for Demi Metallica upon his arrival but quickly dismissed the idea in favor of the wide appeal of social media instead.

Guitarist Kirk Hammett from Metallica, one of the most popular bands in the world. (EPA Photo/Marcelo Sayao)

While waiting for his luggage at the airport, Adityo took a few minutes to set up @demimetallica, messaging some of his friends — popular hard rock musicians — to help him spread the word about the account. Soon enough the account collected more than 1,000 followers, with even more tagging the account with goods they hoped to sell.

A simple search for “#demimetallica” yields a surprising number of results. For sale is a range of personal items from books, vintage albums, musical instruments big and small, wardrobes, smartphones, art pieces and more.

“This is something more than mere buying and selling. Every item that is sold here has a story behind it. There is a sense of empathy between the buyers as fellow Metallica fans,” Adityo said.

Not surprisingly, some people took advantage of the account’s popularity to market items without any plans of buying concert tickets.

“But the true fans are always able to identify those imposters, and report them to us,” Adityo said, explaining it as an example of the empathy between Indonesian fans.

“There have also been a lot of cynics who have asked me why wasn’t this type of movement conducted when other bands came here? But I’m OK with that. Not everybody understands how big Metallica actually is. There are people who will have to travel from other parts of the country to Jakarta and stay at accommodation here. That means money doesn’t it?”

Adityo also pointed to the rather sudden announcement of the concert, which meant many fans had to “hastily rearrange their financial plans for the next few months.”

As the account’s manager, Adityo has had a front row seat in seeing what kind of unusual items have gone on sale.

“There have been artists who have sold their personal illustrations, as well as one person who sold off a kris [a traditional Indonesian knife believed to contain spirits and energies]. That made me laugh out loud.”

Rolling Stone Indonesia website executive editor Wendi Putranto has been promoting the movement through his much-followed twitter account. “I’ve seen everything sold from houses to Anton LaVey’s ‘Satanic Bible’!” he laughs.

Some people also offered to sell their bodies for tickets — in jest, Adityo assumed. “We get a few like that everyday.”

For Arian 13 , the lead singer of the popular rock act Seringai who consistently promoted Demi Metallica through his Twitter account of more than 43,000 followers, Metallica’s upcoming concert is worth selling things off for because “they are the U2 of metal.”

“What happened here in 1993 has become something of ‘classic’ story, for better or worse, so it makes sense that now everybody wants to see them play, young and old.”

An ardent supporter of the local music scene, Arian felt it was important to support the movement because of how often he has heard “I could not go to the concert because I didn’t have time to save up” used as an excuse by his fellow music fanatics.

Arian saw Metallica in concert a few months ago in Perth and is planning to attend the Malaysian leg of the tour, four days before the band plays in Jakarta. What he saw in Perth did everything to convince him in urging Indonesian fans to not miss out.

“It was the best metal concert I’ve been to — Big screens and pyrotechnics plus lifelike bombs. For real!”

twitter.com/demimetallica