A snake appears in the faint artwork on the cover of Metallica's The Black Album.
The album cover is almost entirely black, with a barely visible coiled snake on the right side and the band's logo in the upper-left area. The restrained design gives the record its widely used nickname, The Black Album, even though its official title is simply Metallica.
The snake image connects to “Don't Tread on Me,” a song whose title echoes the Gadsden flag and its traditional rattlesnake emblem. The visual is deliberately subtle, so it can be difficult to see on reproductions, especially when the cover is viewed at a small size or under poor lighting.
The minimalist artwork contrasts with the colorful covers of several earlier Metallica albums. It became one of the most recognizable designs in heavy-metal history and was retained for later editions, remasters, and anniversary releases.