What image on Metallica's 1991 album cover was derived from the Gadsden flag?
Answer
A coiled snake
A coiled snake on Metallica's 1991 album cover was derived from the Gadsden flag.
The cover places Metallica's angled logo in the upper-left corner and a coiled snake in the lower-right. The snake is associated with the Gadsden flag, an American historical flag featuring the motto “Don't Tread on Me.” That same motto also supplied the title of a song on the album.
The original artwork was deliberately understated. The black background and embossed emblems made the logo and snake difficult to see, which encouraged the informal name The Black Album. Later editions use dark-gray elements that stand out more clearly against the background.
The artwork is sometimes mistaken for a generic heavy-metal snake design, but its connection to the Gadsden flag is specific. The visual link also explains why “Don't Tread on Me” fits both the cover's imagery and the record's themes.