The 94-year-old Star Trek legend WILLIAM SHATNER has announced a heavy metal album featuring 35 hand-picked metal icons, set for release in 2026 via Cleopatra Records. The album will include covers of songs by BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST, and IRON MAIDEN, performed with an army of metal stars including Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY), Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW), and Henry Rollins (BLACK FLAG). Wylde personally gifted Shatner a guitar, which the actor described as "unexpected and deeply motivating."
The project was inspired by Shatner's voiceover work on the NUCLEAR MESSIAH album "Black Flame" with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland, an experience that awakened the actor's appreciation for the power and theatricality of heavy metal music. Shatner revealed that each collaborator was personally selected after extensive listening sessions. "I did not want random names attached to this project," Shatner explained in his characteristically dramatic fashion. "Every single musician on this record was chosen because their playing moved me. I sat and listened to hundreds of hours of metal music to understand the genre's depth."
The album's tracklist reportedly includes covers of BLACK SABBATH's "Iron Man," JUDAS PRIEST's "Breaking The Law," and IRON MAIDEN's "The Trooper," among others. Each track features a unique combination of guest musicians, ensuring no two songs share the same backing band. The production is being handled by a team at Cleopatra Records who have experience with similar all-star compilations. Shatner's vocal approach will blend his signature spoken-word delivery with what producers describe as "surprisingly committed attempts at actual singing." Additional collaborators are expected to be announced in the coming months, with the full tracklist and release date to be confirmed by spring 2026.