Who illustrated the cover of Metallica’s 1991 album Metallica?

Don Brautigam illustrated the cover of Metallica’s 1991 album Metallica.

The cover uses an almost entirely black design with the band’s logo and a subtle image of a coiled rattlesnake. The restrained artwork contributed to the album’s enduring nickname, The Black Album. Brautigam’s illustration was paired with photography and art direction credited to other contributors.

The snake image connects with the album’s “Don’t Tread on Me,” whose title and imagery draw on the Gadsden flag. The cover’s minimal presentation was a sharp contrast with the more elaborate artwork associated with several of Metallica’s earlier records, especially Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All.

The artwork is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Ross Halfin, who provided photography for the project, or to Peter Mensch, who received an art-direction credit. Those contributors were involved in the overall package, but Brautigam is specifically credited as the illustrator.

The finished sleeve became one of the most recognizable designs in 1990s heavy metal and helped give the self-titled album its popular alternate name.