Litigious thrash band Metallica has taken to law again, this time in pursuit of a perfumier.

Purveyor of pretty pongs Guerlain apparently has a perfume called Metallica. That, claims the band, is a flagrant - indeed, fragrant - violation of its trademark.

It's also - in the words of the band's lawyer, Jill Pietrini, according to today's Daily Telegraph - injurious to [the rockers'] business reputation.

Think about it: Guerlain's Metallica is apparently a "spicy floral fragrance... a new interpretation of the vanilla, impulsive and delicous", hardly words you'd apply to a bunch of hard workin', hard rockin' musos.

Grunge rockers Nirvana famously named a best-selling single after a perfume, Teen Spirit. Perhaps Metallica - the band - will follow suit with some smell-suggested songs of its own.

And failing that, it can always take on Guerlain at own game. Eau de Uhrlich, anyone? ®