Black metal remains a most fascinating subject, and it is therefore hardly surprising that a host of books has already been written about this harsh musical genre. One might even be justified in asking the heretical question, if the world needs another one. The answer is a resounding "yes" because Argentinian author Matías Gallardo adds a Southern American perspective and voice to the existing canon with his book debut, Born for Burning - The History of Black Metal.

The contribution of Southern American bands spearheaded by Sarcófago, among many others, to the style's evolution has all too often been overlooked. Gallardo leaves the narrow Nordic perspective behind by interviewing black metal acts, classic icons, as well as young and wild, from all over the world, for a more global view. This makes Born for Burning - The History of Black Metal essential reading for everyone interested in the genre.

Index Verlag will publish Matías Gallardo's Born for Burning - The History of Black Metal on 17 April.

Born in Buenos Aires in 1988, Matías Gallardo currently works as a journalist, graphic designer, and university lecturer. Since 2006, he has written for Jedbangers, Argentina's leading metal magazine, founded in 1998. He has also contributed to webzines such as Norskmetal and No Clean Singing. Gallardo is the host and producer of the podcast Días Negros, dedicated to black metal – clearly the author's preferred musical realm. In addition, he translated Tony Iommi's autobiography Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath into Spanish. Born for Burning - The History of Black Metal is his first book.

Born for Burning - The History of Black Metal tells the fierce, shadow-drenched story of one of heavy music's most extreme and transgressive movements. From its gestation in the early 80's under raw, primitive riffs, Satanic imagery, and underground ferocity, to its darker peaks in the Norwegian scene and its global, multifaceted evolution, Matías Gallardo maps every blistering beat, every distorted chord, and every howl that defined what became black metal.

Drawing on over 100 interviews with legendary cult figures from all over the world – 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 – this is a chronicle of artistry and outrage, of beauty and brutality, Gallardo not only explores the music, the influences and the aesthetics, and the sonic innovations, but also does not shy away from the crime, the chaos, the church burnings, and the acts that shocked the world.

With a prologue by Dan Lilker (Nuclear Assault) and an introduction by Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone), Born for Burning - The History of Black Metal is a powerful, unflinching journey through terror, transgression, and uncompromising passion. For fans, scholars, or anyone curious about how the underground became myth, this book is essential – and it burns. Link