A snake is pictured on the cover of Metallica's album known as The Black Album.
The cover places the band's logo in the upper-left corner and a coiled snake in the lower-right. The snake is derived from the Gadsden flag, whose famous motto is “Don't Tread on Me,” also the title of one of the album's songs.
On the initial release, the logo and snake were embossed so subtly that they were difficult to see against the black background. That understated design helped inspire the album's popular nickname, even though the official title is simply Metallica.
The cover is sometimes confused with the artwork for other Metallica albums, many of which use elaborate illustrations. The Black Album instead relies on a nearly monochrome design, with the snake and logo providing the principal visual details.