The nickname that became attached to Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album because of its dark cover is The Black Album.
The official title of the record is Metallica, making it the band’s self-titled fifth studio album. Its initial cover used a black background with subtly embossed versions of the band’s logo and a coiled snake. The restrained design encouraged listeners and critics to refer to it informally as The Black Album.
The nickname distinguishes the record from Metallica the band and from the titles of the group’s other albums. It is not the album’s formal title, but it became the most common shorthand used by fans, journalists, retailers, and the band itself.
The snake image is associated with the song “Don’t Tread on Me,” whose title refers to the historical Gadsden flag motto. That connection sometimes leads people to call the album the Snake Album, but The Black Album is the established nickname.