Flavius Belisarius Epicus Metallicus. L’immagine di un generale tra Procopio e l’Heavy Metal

Abstract

Heavy Metal has always kept a close bond with the Classical Age. Since the pioneers Led Zeppelin, the presence of themes and characters linked to the graeco-roman world has found fertile soil in a musical genre that eagerly feeds itself over every aspect of antiquity. Following the trailblazing role of Alexander the Great and Achilles, the american power metal band Judicator has brought under the limelight, in their latest album “Let There Be Nothing”, the material performer of the western reconquest advocated by the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I. Inside the platter, the band aims to go beyond the label of victorious general to eviscerate defects and fears of a hero which is psychologically complex, profound and up to date. Between the themes considered inside this paper appear concepts as masculinity and emotions like fear and pain. The intention is to highlight those constructs, key points of the VIth century byzantine society, through the use of a new medium, Heavy Metal.