What symbol inspired the snake shown on the cover of Metallica's The Black Album?

The snake on the cover of Metallica's The Black Album was inspired by the Gadsden flag.

The Gadsden flag traditionally shows a coiled rattlesnake above the warning "Don't Tread on Me." Metallica used a dark, coiled snake on the album cover, and the related motto also became the title of one of the record's songs.

The cover's other main element is the band's logo, positioned diagonally near the upper-left corner. On the initial release, both the logo and snake were embossed against the black background, creating the nearly invisible design that led to the nickname The Black Album.

The artwork is sometimes mistaken for a generic black cover or for a direct reproduction of the flag. It is better understood as a stylized album design that references the Gadsden symbol while incorporating Metallica's own branding.