Released on August 12th, 1991 by Elektra Records, commonly known as the Black Album, it became the band's best-selling album, certified 16× platinum by Riaa in 2012, and has sold over 16.000.000 copies in the United States.
The snake in the artwork as well as the track "Don't Tread On Me" were inspired by a historical American flag, The Gadsden flag, which was designed in 1775. The cover is almost black, James Hetfield said "It was a simple black cover and you had to listen to the music. You wouldn’t be distracted by a drawing on the front."
The snake in the artwork as well as the track "Don't Tread On Me" were inspired by a historical American flag, The Gadsden flag, which was designed in 1775. The cover is almost black, James Hetfield said "It was a simple black cover and you had to listen to the music. You wouldn’t be distracted by a drawing on the front."