Today is exactly 20 years since the release of what is on my opinion one of the greatest metal albums of all time. Antichrist Superstar is arguably the most influential piece of music of my life. I was in the fifth grade and 10-11 years old when I first saw the music video for The Beatiful People on MTV. Yes, back when MTV actually played music, but I digress. This was practically my first exposure to rock music. The dark and shockingly weird imagery of Marilyn Manson in this music video and on top of that, the amazing guitar riffs, made me fall in love with rock music.

I remember desperately wanting to buy the album but not having enough money to do so. It wasn’t until a few months later, and now on the 6^th grade. My best friend, which I didn’t knew at the time was also a massive Marilyn Manson fan. He lend me the CD, and shortly later I bought it from him. This was around the same time Marilyn Manson performed The Beautiful on the 1997 MTV Music Video awards. And so I was hooked.

I listened to Antichrist Superstar every single day. I loved the album so much, that I also bought it on cassette tape so I can listen to it on my walkman. I will forever cherish the memories of listening to this fantastic album on my walkman while taking public transportation to go to and from middle school.

The “evil” or “satanic” gimmick of Marilyn Manson didn’t bothered be at all, nor did I tried to be like it. Ironically, it was amusing watching a local tv station broadcast a Marilyn Manson live Antichrist Superstart video every Christmas eve.

I clear indication of how great this album is, is the fact every single song is amazing. I didn’t even had to skip any of the songs while playing the entire album. 20 years later, I still firmly believe this album is an absolute masterpiece. I can easily listen to it from start to finish and enjoy every single second of it.

Sadly, my admiration towards Marilyn Manson’s music was short lived. Just as I blown away by the amazing music in Antichrist Superstar, the follow-up album Mechanical Animals was such a massive let down. I will never forget the first week of 7^th grade, Mechanical Animals was released and going to my local Blockbuster music store to buy the cassette tape, and be denied the purchase of it because of the fucking parental advisory sticker!

Though I was able to buy Mechanical Animals from a Blockbuster employee that basically gave zero fucks on selling a parental advisory album to a minor. Only to end up in plain disappointment. Going from a really dark theme metal album to a sort of industrial/glam rock tone sound, was a massive drastic change that I never understood.

Up to this day, I haven’t listen to any new Marilyn Manson music since 1998’s Mechanical Animals. Needless to day, Antichrist Superstar opened up a pandora’s box, because after Marilyn Mason, I then started to listen to Rob Zombie and Korn. Of which that followed to my Slipknot, Coal Chamber phased, then followed by the Soulfly/Sepultura, Slayer, In Flames phase. Ultimately ending now to very little metal music that I listen too, if any.

I can’t think of any album that has such an impact on my teenage years (pre-teenage) than Marilyn Manson’s Antichrist Superstar.