“Hellbangers is an affirmation that at its core shows the strength and power of the metal community in Africa, and how it connects around the world.

These brilliant and exciting photographs draw us into a special and unique story. I feel particularly engaged by the connection with the cradle of civilisation, from the dawn of humanity to the present day, through this lens of metal life as captured by Pep.

The love and devotion to the music that these wonderful maniacs show scream out to us with absolute conviction – we are all united by the essence of the metal heart and spirit of the Hellbangers!”

— Rob Halford (Judas Priest)

Photographer Pep Bonet (1974, Mallorca) followed Overthrust, a heavy metal band from Botswana, Africa, and shows us a growing, exciting and thoroughly organic heavy metal community. Ten years ago, one group existed. Today there are more than ten – and their fans are growing every year.

The inhabitants of Botswana portrayed in this book are tattooed, wear loudly and proudly leather jackets and trousers, and play heavy death metal music. Imagine the DIY ingenuity of their ‘costume creation’ involving harvested animal skulls and other natural elements.

With names like Demon and Gunsmoke, it would be easy though to think they are thugs, but “We try to be examples. Rock is a wild thing, but also something for the heart”, says Gunsmoke, the heavy metal head. Here too, the lyrics of the songs are very critical towards societies, just like their western peers. Metal in Botswana is rebellious movement against authorities. This is the story of what looks at first to be an unlikely union, yet one which powerfully illustrates how music, how heavy metal music, has become a positively unifying force in an unlikely part of the world.

SIGNED BOOK + ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH, NUMBERED, SIGNED AND STAMPED

ONLY 50 UNITS AVAILABLE

Print size: 34 x 28 cm (wide x high)

Image size: 30 x 24 cm (wide x high)

Original photograph printed on Canson Baryta Prestige 340 gr., an acid-free alpha-cellulose and cotton white paper base with a true barium sulphate coating, which evokes the look and aesthetic feel of traditional darkroom papers.

If you want to purchase just the book at €49,95, you can place your order via the webshop of Hannibal Books HERE.

More info about the book:

Year: 2021
Dimensions: 170 x 220 mm, color on spine, image on front and silk screen
Pages: 128 pages, hardcover
Language: English

All Photography © Pep Bonet, 2021

• Texts: Pep Bonet, Steffan Chirazi, Rob Halford

• Copy-editing: Cath Phillips

• Art direction: Natacha Hofman

• Design: Tim Bisschop

• Coordination: Hadewych Van den Bossche

• Printing: die Keure, Bruges, Belgium

• Binding: Van Mierlo, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

• Color grading by Joan Roig / Cromagnon.tv

ISBN 978 94 6388 788 5

D/2021/11922/25

NUR 653

This book is supported by Wacken Open Air and Nikon Europe.

© Hannibal Books, 2021

Hannibal Books is an imprint of Uitgeverij Kannibaal bv, Furnes, Belgium

www.hannibalbooks.be

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.