What motto appears on the Gadsden-flag snake linked to Metallica's The Black Album?
Answer
Don't Tread on Me
The motto linked to the Gadsden-flag snake on Metallica's The Black Album is “Don't Tread on Me.”
The album cover shows Metallica's logo in the upper-left corner and a coiled snake in the lower-right. The snake is derived from the Gadsden flag, whose traditional motto is “Don't Tread on Me.” That same phrase became the title of the album's eighth track.
The initial cover design made both the band logo and snake extremely subtle by embossing them against a black background. This nearly monochromatic presentation helped inspire the album's popular nickname, The Black Album, even though the official title remained Metallica.
Later editions used dark gray elements that stand out more clearly. The cover has also been compared to other black rock-album designs, including the fictional Spinal Tap sleeve mentioned humorously in Metallica's documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica.