Megadeth “Rust in Peace” (1990)

Created by artist Ed Repka, the Rust in Peace (1990) album cover is a classic thrash metal artwork featuring mascot Vic Rattlehead holding a glowing, radioactive alien body. It depicts Vic (the mascot) in a futuristic laboratory setting, showing world leaders—George H.W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, Toshiki Kaifu, Richard von Weizsäcker, and John Major—looking on.  Rust in Peace is a landmark, platinum-certified album that defined technical thrash metal, featuring the quintessential lineup of Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson, Marty Friedman, and Nick Menza. It propelled the band to international stardom, offering a blend of aggressive, complex musicianship and politically charged lyrics.