(Credits: Cleopatra Records)
Fri 20 February 2026 11:50, UK
William Shatner has announced the release of his first heavy metal album at the age of 94.
While he’s known for his work on Star Trek above all else, Shatner has been regularly releasing music since the 1960s, collaborating with the likes of Iggy Pop, Zakk Wylde, Ritchie Blackmore, Edgar Froese, Wayne Kramer, and Henry Rollins.
For his latest album, which currently doesn’t have a title or a specific release date, Shatner has also invited along a series of 35 handpicked artists from the rock realm to contribute to the project.
Taking to X on February 19th, Shatner told his fans, “I have explored space. I have explored time. Now… I explore distortion. Yes. You read that correctly. I am releasing a HEAVY METAL album.”
He also revealed what people should expect from the record: “Thirty-five metal virtuosos. Thunderous guitars. Chaos with purpose. Covers of legends like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest — and a few originals forged in the same cosmic fire.”
Shatner added of the untitled album, “This project is, quite literally, a gathering of forces. Loud imagination. Honest intensity. Unapologetic exploration.”
Acknowledging his late adoption of heavy metal in his mid-90s, Shatner said, “At 94, one does not slow down. One turns the volume up. So prepare yourselves. We are about to boldly headbang where no one has headbanged before.”
The album is set for release through Cleopatra Records. In a press statement issued by the label, Shatner revealed that it was his involvement in the upcoming Nuclear Messiah album Black Flame which inspired him to create a heavy metal record.
Shatner shared, “When Nuclear Messiah came to life, something clicked. 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.”
The album title, release date, as well as the 35 musicians that appear on the project are set to be revealed in the near future.
Ladies, gentlemen, SWs fans…😝⁰I have explored space.⁰I have explored time.⁰Now… I explore distortion.
Yes. You read that correctly.⁰I am releasing a HEAVY METAL album.
Thirty-five metal virtuosos. Thunderous guitars. Chaos with purpose.⁰Covers of legends like Black… pic.twitter.com/Wk9HUzbYZK
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) February 20, 2026
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