William Shatner is turning the volume up to pain-threshold max.. The legendary actor, author, and cultural icon today announces his latest album — a heavy metal extravaganza powered a veritable army of metal stars, each one personally selected and hand-picked by Shatner to help deliver a project that’s equal parts thunder, theater, and fearless experimentation.
Shatner has long been attracted to music that challenges boundaries and amplifies storytelling. Over the years, his recordings have attracted a striking range of collaborators across heavy music and beyond — artists chosen for their distinct voices, fearlessness, and credibility.
Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE),Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW),Edgar Froese (TANGERINE DREAM),Wayne Kramer (MC5),Henry Rollins (BLACK FLAG, THE ROLLINS BAND) have all recorded with the legend. Indeed, Shatner‘s history of defying expectations is well documented, and his music has long lived in the space where spoken-word intensity meets cinematic atmosphere. This new album raises the stakes even higher: more artists, more distortion, more drama — and a heavier impact.
“Metal has always been a place where imagination gets loud,” Shatner said. “This album is a gathering of forces — each artist bringing their fire, their precision, their chaos. I chose them because they have something to say, and because metal demands honesty.”
Built around massive guitars, cinematic arrangements, and Shatner‘s signature vocal intensity, the record plays like a high-voltage film: sharp turns, dark humor, raw emotion, and moments of unexpected beauty. The result is an event album — designed not as a novelty, but as a statement, uniting a legion of metal’s most respected musicians under one uniquely singular vision.
The catalyst for the project came with Shatner‘s involvement in the upcoming NUCLEAR MESSIAH album “Black Flame”, voicing an intro piece created with Chris Poland, the ex-MEGADETH guitarist and a widely revered metal innovator. That collaboration didn’t just set a tone — it sparked Shatner‘s inspiration to build a full-scale metal album with elite metal talent.
“When NUCLEAR MESSIAH came to life, something clicked,” Shatner said. “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.”
Adding to the momentum, metal guitar icon Zakk Wylde personally gifted Shatner a guitar, a gesture Shatner describes as unexpected and deeply motivating.
“I’ve spent a lifetime exploring in both reality and fiction,” said Shatner. “Now I am stepping out into the unknown once again with my new project in heavy metal. I am covering BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN as well as a number of new songs written by my team. The whole project is destined for this year. I hope you will join me in the exploration.”
Additional album details — including title, track list, release date, lead single, and the full roster of featured artists — will be revealed soon.
Photo by Elizabeth Shatner