Inspired by the recent Crossing Borders: Metal Music Scenes and Extremity symposium at Liverpool John Moores University, this editorial reflects on the often surprising border crossings that can occur within metal music. Outlining the history of Malaysian extreme metal band, Black Fire, the editorial shows how an artist once deemed blasphemous and transgressive became an accepted part of their country’s musical heritage. The editorial then highlights the value of exploring the implications of such shifts within a scholarly event that also spoke to practitioners and people within local scenes.
Hassan et al. (2025) studied this question.