The snake on the cover of Metallica’s 1991 album Metallica, commonly called The Black Album, was derived from the Gadsden flag.
The cover places a coiled snake in the lower-right area and the band’s angled logo in the upper-left. On the initial release, both images were embossed so subtly against the black background that they were difficult to see.
The Gadsden flag traditionally features a rattlesnake and the motto “Don’t Tread on Me.” That motto also supplies the title of a song on the album, creating a visual and lyrical connection between the packaging and the track list.
The artwork is sometimes described simply as a black cover, which is why the album acquired its common nickname. Later editions changed the barely visible emblems to dark gray, making the logo and snake easier to distinguish while preserving the minimalist design.