What object appears on the lower-right of Metallica's original Black Album cover?
Answer
A coiled snake
A coiled snake appears on the lower-right of Metallica's original Black Album cover.
The snake was derived from the Gadsden flag, an American historical flag featuring a rattlesnake and the motto “Don't Tread on Me.” The album also includes a song titled “Don't Tread on Me,” linking the packaging image to the record's track list.
The upper-left of the cover carries the band's angled logo. On the initial release, both the logo and snake emblem were embossed so subtly that they nearly disappeared into the black background. This restrained design created the nickname The Black Album, although Metallica is the official title.
Later editions made the emblems dark gray and therefore easier to see. The cover is sometimes associated with Spinal Tap's fictional Smell the Glove because Metallica joked about the resemblance, but the snake itself comes from the Gadsden flag rather than that film prop.