Argentine journalist and black metal authority Matías Gallardo delivers a sweeping global chronicle of the genre with his debut book, published by INDEX VERLAG on April 17, 2026.INDEX VERLAG has released ‚Born for Burning – The History of Black Metal‘ by Argentine author Matías Gallardo, a landmark publication that arrives in bookstores worldwide as of April 17, 2026.
Black metal has long been a subject of fascination, controversy, and scholarly debate, yet Gallardo’s debut brings something genuinely new to the table: a Southern American perspective that has been conspicuously absent from the genre’s existing literary canon. Where previous works have leaned heavily on a narrow Nordic viewpoint, Gallardo casts his net far wider, drawing on over 100 interviews with legendary cult figures from across the globe. Among those featured are VENOM, BATHORY, CELTIC FROST, MASTER’S HAMMER, PROFANATICA, BLASPHEMY, TORMENTOR, MAYHEM, DARKTHRONE, BURZUM, EMPEROR, CRADLE OF FILTH, DIMMU BORGIR, ULVER, WATAIN, AGALLOCH, XASTHUR, LEVIATHAN, ALCEST, MISÞYRMING and many more.
The book traces the genre from its embryonic form in the early 1980s — defined by raw riffs, Satanic imagery, and underground ferocity — through the notorious peaks of the Norwegian scene and into its diverse global evolution. Crucially, Gallardo redresses a long-standing imbalance by highlighting the contributions of South American bands, with SARCÓFAGO among those whose influence on the genre’s development has too often been overlooked.
‚Born for Burning‘ features a prologue by Dan Lilker (NUCLEAR ASSAULT) and an introduction by Nocturno Culto (DARKTHRONE), lending the volume both authority and intimacy. Gallardo does not shy away from the genre’s darker chapters — the church burnings, the criminal acts, and the chaos that shocked the world — while simultaneously exploring the music’s artistic innovations and aesthetic depth.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1988, Gallardo has worked as a journalist, graphic designer, and university teacher. He has contributed to Argentina’s leading metal magazine Jedbangers since 2006, as well as to webzines including Norskmetal and No Clean Singing. He is also the host and producer of the black metal podcast Días Negros, and previously translated Tony Iommi’s autobiography ‚Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath‘ into Spanish.
The hardcover edition runs to 386 pages, includes 100 black-and-white images, and is available now via https://spkr.store/born-for-burning (ISBN: 978-393687859-2).
Photo: Martín Darksoul