Check out the trailer above and our presentation video in the Gallery, where you also can see the t-shirt design

Background

Were a brother/sister team from Sweden, we both love metal music and travelling backpacker style and thats basically how all this started. John (30) is a freelancing live - photographer based in Malm and Lena (27) is a freelance journalist living in Stockholm where she also works as a radio producer on Swedish Radio. In 2008 we set off on a trip together to Southeast Asia ( Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines ) to make a photographic project about the people in the subculture of metal, hardcore and punk.

We were soon overwhelmed by the huge Southeast Asian underground music scenes. Really skilled musicians pounding out great music, with strong ideals and extremely organised and close communities - sometimes much like autonomous societies - created from their shared passion for music. We could find almost nothing about this in European or American media, which inspired us even more. We travelled for nearly 8 months and had our personal "metal-guides" taking us around in their own countries showing us the real stuff. We went to concerts, festivals, parties, distros, studios, we slept in their homes, we travelled together and grew friendships for life. These driving spirits have really enriched our lives and this book is dedicated to them and their passion. Now we want to share all our meetings, memories and captured moments with the rest of the world; and we need your help to make this happen.

The book

With your help, we will print and publish a photographic documentary book (approx. 176 pages). Through interviews and our own describing text you will meet the key figures in the underground metal music scene - bandmembers, fans, relatives, organisers, etc - they all give their unique perspectives on todays society, culture, religion and of course - their beloved music.
Hundreds of images from their everyday life, homes, distros, workshops, parties, exhibitions, practicing studios and concerts - accompanies the text and take the book to the next level.

The book will also be pimped with some really awesome artwork by Dinan Rinaldy - one of Indonesias most respected metal artists.
Its an underground musical journey that will take you to places youve never seen or heard of before.

For example, youll meet:

•  Headhunter descendants on Malaysian Borneo who channel their anger through metal to show their ancestors that aggressive music is the new way of taking heads.

• The Indonesian version of Slipknot - and Islamist missionaries - using metal as a Trojan Horse to spread the Islamic message to the western infected youth.

• Another top ten famous band in Indonesia takes it to the next level with their extreme and political " Jihad metal " and the frontman explains why his book about zionism infiltrating the metal scene will be an eye-opener.

• Leaders of an underground movement trying to revive and implement the ancient local Sundanese culture in their metal music, to preserve it for future generations.

• The few survivors from the Tsunami disaster in 2004, that wiped out almost the entire metal scene in Banda Aceh, Sumatra. They are the keepers of a shattered yet alive metal community in an area strongly affected by civil war, natural disasters and strict religious laws.

Youll also feel the seabreeze on a Balinese Metal Vacation, get to know a reincarnated swedish viking in Singapore, have a trip down memory lane with the worn-out metal bar owner Fah in the tourist ghetto of Khao San Road in Bangkok and much, much more. Oh, we forgot to tell you about the satanists in northern Borneo and the female gothic band in Jakarta and the punkrock organiser in Singapore and the.....

And why is this book important?

In the making of this book we did not only discover new awesome music and new social phenomenons in Southeast Asia but we also learned a lot about our own musical treasures back home. People were namedropping bands in our own hometowns weve never even heard of; its kind of twisted that the most popular musicians in this big part of the world are often totally unknown in the West.

So thats one of our main goals: to make the game more balanced and give these driving spirits and their music the global attention they deserve. As a counterpart to the never-ending western influences that almost drowns their own cultural identities.

Our other main goal is to bring the people of West & East closer to each other, by raising the understanding and awareness about the people and todays society in this region, using music as the key. Our friends have put their faith in us to show the world that they exist and that they also can make great music. This music is not only a western phenomenon - its a reaction. We hope the book will make people go outside the Lonely Planet bubble when exploring the world next time, Southeast Asia in particular. Its more than beaches, nice food, fancy hotels and ethnic dance performances.

The book will also fight prejudices and ignorance in their own societies amongst the older and more conservative generations (and governments) who often label these rebellious subcultures and loud music as morally dangerous and pure evil. (Local media normally just write about these groups in negative words, spinning the rumour-mill even faster). Knowing this book has international backup will empower these music lovers to keep on living their passion every day no matter the resistance.

What We Need & What You Get

So far we have financed everything ourselves, from plane tickets to testprints.

We need about 14 000 dollars to cover publishing costs for a first edition of 1000-2000 copies.

The cost of a high quality printed book, 176-192 pages in the format 23cm x 24cm is about 12.000-14.000 US Dollars, depending on where we print.

Estimated cost for proof reading : approx. 1400-2000 Dollars

We also need money to distribute the book once its done, on an international market. We have several channels for distribution but we need the financial back up to make it happen.

Our goal is that all Crowdfunders will get their pre-ordered book before the end of 2011.

If we reach our funding goal then we would like to pay our dear friend Robert Gyulavari whos doing all the layout work. If we exceed our goal then all that money will help finance a promotion tour in Southeast Asia. Were going back as soon as we can to personally give the book back to the people who helped us and also make exhibitions as well as workshops. We also have plans to bring European bands to make a multicultural West-East metalfestival. All the money that we receive will go straight to our project.

If we would fail with our goal here on Indiegogo we know its not because the subject is not interesting or important - it would be because we have failed in marketing the campaign. We will then work even harder to find other financing channels and wont quit until its out there. We would then print a much smaller edition and use our own money to cover the remaining cost.

So everybody that contributes here on IndieGoGo will get their claimed perk!

Besides from the eternal gratitude from us and the people involved in the book, you can be a proud owner of some really good perks - the book being one. Check out the perks on the right! If you cant find what youre looking for  just send us an email and well work something out.

info@labourofloveandhate.com

Other Ways You Can Help

Think this campaign is cool? Tell your family and friends! Tell your enemies too, everyone you know, shout it out / share on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, LInkedin and all forums you can think of. Remember our website www.labourofloveandhate.com - where you can read parts of portraits, look at pics and get inspired, and share that too while youre at it.

If you have ideas or tips about marketing, printing, shipping or whatever just send us an email; were grateful for any help!

Thank you so much for reading this long text, we are very grateful for your support!

Best regards

John & Lena Resborn - Co founders
Robert Gyulavari - Layout