25 years ago the Gulf War started, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, Jennifer Lawrence was born, and that's about all we can think of without referring to Wikipedia or one of our older colleagues who still has a functioning long-term memory.
Danzig II: Lucifuge
1990 also saw the release of several excellent metal records. Here are twenty we like best.
20. Deicide, Deicide
Everyone knows that Deicide's lead singer Glen Benton is the guy who burned an inverted crucifix into his forehead. Did you know that he met Sasquatch a few years ago? Or that he's allegedly a big-time prima donna who throws "hissy fits" while on tour? We only point this out because he admitted last year that he's nowhere near as angry as he seems.
19. Death Angel, Act III
In Greek mythology, the angel of death is a skeleton named Charon who ferries the deceased across a river to Hell (at least that's what we remember from the old Clash of the Titans movie). The band Death Angel once ferried a keg of Natural Light and a ping pong table in a grocery cart to a pool party in Concord, California. They also play some bitchin' thrash metal.
18. Death, Spiritual Healing
Go figure. Death founder and extreme metal visionary Chuck Schuldiner (RIP) is remembered by his friends as a modest animal lover and community-minded optimist. Spiritual Healing is his band's third album.
17. Entombed, Left Hand Path
This record title refers to a Satanic belief system and malicious spell-casting. Unbeknownst to Entombed, Left Hand Path is also a Scottish euphemism for the old trick where a right-handed gentleman masturbates with his left hand, as the less coordinated and weaker mitt provides a sloppier and thus more authentic vaginal sensation (a type of magic in its own right). Along with dodging accusations of devil worship and chronic masturbation, Entombed plays some bitchin' death metal.
16. Iron Maiden, No Prayer for the Dying
In middle school my buddy Clint bought the poster for this record at a head shop. He hung it on his bedroom door and saluted it every day with raised horn fingers. Eighteen months later, Clint met his first girlfriend at the arcade. The next morning he packed all of his Maiden shit into a Hefty bag and chucked it into a dumpster. Clint hasn't looked back since. What exactly does that say about you, Mister 34-year-old single man with an Iron Maiden patch on his windbreaker?
