What inspired the snake imagery on Metallica's The Black Album cover?

The snake imagery on Metallica's The Black Album cover was inspired by the Gadsden flag.

The cover is intentionally minimal: a nearly black field carries the band's logo in the upper-left area and a coiled snake in the lower-right. The design helped create the visual identity that led fans to nickname the record The Black Album.

The Gadsden flag is an American historical flag featuring a rattlesnake and the motto “Don't Tread on Me.” Metallica's cover uses a simplified snake image rather than reproducing the entire flag, so the connection is visual inspiration rather than a complete flag depiction.

The artwork was designed by Pushead, the professional name of artist Brian Schroeder. The understated design contrasted with the more elaborate imagery associated with some of Metallica's previous album covers and matched the band's desire for a stripped-down presentation.