A snake is faintly pictured on the cover of Metallica's 1991 album, commonly called The Black Album.
The artwork is intentionally restrained: the band's logo appears in black near the upper-left area, while a coiled snake is difficult to see against the dark background. The subtle image helped inspire the album's enduring nickname, even though its official title is simply Metallica.
The snake also connects the cover to “Don't Tread on Me,” a song on the album. That title and its imagery reference the Gadsden flag, whose famous design features a rattlesnake and the warning “Don't Tread on Me.” The album cover uses the animal in a much less overt visual form.
The artwork was created by Stephen Gorman, based on a concept associated with the band. Its minimal design contrasts with the more elaborate covers of several earlier Metallica albums. The nearly monochrome presentation became one of the most recognizable images in rock music.