What motto appears on the flag-inspired artwork connected to Metallica's The Black Album?

“Don't Tread on Me” is the motto associated with the Gadsden flag-inspired artwork on Metallica's The Black Album. The cover shows a coiled snake beside the band's logo against a black background.

The phrase also became the title of the album's sixth track. Its placement creates a direct connection between the visual design and the music, although the song itself is not one of the album's five commercial singles. It was issued to rock radio promotionally but did not receive a commercial single release.

The original cover's black-on-black treatment made the snake and logo difficult to see. That understated design helped generate the nickname The Black Album, even though the official title is simply Metallica. Later editions used dark gray elements that stand out more clearly.

The artwork has also prompted comparisons with other black album covers, including Spinal Tap's fictional Smell the Glove and Status Quo's Hello!. Metallica's band members jokingly acknowledged those visual associations in the documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica.