What symbol appears on the cover of Metallica's self-titled 1991 album, The Black Album?
Answer
A coiled snake
A coiled snake appears on the cover of Metallica's self-titled 1991 album, The Black Album.
The snake is shown in the lower-right area of the cover, while the band's logo appears in the upper-left. Both emblems were embossed so subtly on the initial release that they nearly disappeared into the black background. This design gave the album its enduring nickname, The Black Album.
The snake was derived from the Gadsden flag, an American historical flag associated with the motto “Don't Tread on Me.” That motto also became the title of one of the album's songs, creating a direct connection between the artwork and the track list.
Later releases made the logo and snake dark gray, making them easier to see. The cover has also been discussed alongside Spinal Tap's fictional album Smell the Glove and Status Quo's black Hello! cover, but the specific emblem on Metallica's cover remains the coiled snake.