William Shatner is making a metal album, and he’s doing it with an army. The legendary actor, author, and cultural icon has announced a full-scale heavy metal project via Cleopatra Records, built around massive guitars, cinematic arrangements, and a personally hand-picked roster of elite metal talent.
The catalyst was Shatner’s involvement with Nuclear Messiah’s upcoming album ‘Black Flame’, where he voiced an intro piece created with ex-Megadeth founding guitarist and widely revered metal innovator Chris Poland. That collaboration opened a door Shatner walked straight through.
“When Nuclear Messiah came to life, something clicked,” Shatner says. “It wasn’t just a track, it was a doorway. It made me want to go all the way in, bring in the best metal players I could find, and create something fearless.”
His history with heavy music runs deep. Zakk Wylde, Ritchie Blackmore, Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream, Wayne Kramer of MC5, and Henry Rollins of Black Flag and The Rollins Band have all recorded with him previously. This new project raises the stakes considerably, more artists, more distortion, more drama, with Wylde personally gifting Shatner a guitar as the project took shape.
Shatner framed his vision plainly: “I am covering Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden as well as a number of new songs written by my team. Metal has always been a place where imagination gets loud. I chose these artists because they have something to say, and because metal demands honesty.”
Full album details including title, tracklist, release date, lead single, and the complete roster of featured artists are still to be announced via Cleopatra Records.