The rock group have come out in support of Canadian cover band Sandman, and told them to ignore 41-page letter they received about copyright infringement

Metallica have distanced themselves from a cease and desist letter sent on their behalf to a Metallica cover band, attributing it instead to an “overzealous attorney”.

“We hear that a Canadian Metallica tribute band is a little upset with us and with a little digging, figured out why,” the band told Rolling Stone. “It turns out that a certain letter was delivered to the band Sandman that neither we nor our management were aware of until it surfaced online. Lucky for us, the band was kind enough to post it for us to see, and it turns out that we have a very overzealous attorney who sent this letter without our knowledge.”

A standard bar gig in London, Ontario took an unexpected turn for local band Sandman, who market themselves as “Canada’s No 1 tribute to Metallica”. Upon arrival at the gig venue on 10 January, the cover band received a 41-page cease and desist letter alleging that the tribute band’s logo infringed Metallica’s trademark.

Cease and desist Metallica lawyers [were] waiting for me last night when I got to the bar,” Sandman member Rickferd Van Dyk wrote on his Facebook page. The letter requested that Sandman “stop using the name Metallica, or any of Metallica’s logos on or to identify or promote live musical performances through your Facebook and YouTube pages”.

The letter continued: “While Metallica appreciates your enthusiasm and support for Metallica’s music, your use of modified versions of the Metallica trademark and the stylised version thereof is likely to cause the public to believe that Metallica has approved, licensed or authorised this use of their name and trademark Metallica, when in fact they have not done so.”