William Shatner’s upcoming heavy metal album just added another serious dose of rock royalty. Queen guitarist Brian May is the latest legendary musician to join the Star Trek icon’s ambitious all-star metal project.
The collaboration adds one of rock’s most recognizable guitarists to an album that is already shaping up to be one of the more unexpected heavy metal records of 2026. Shatner has been assembling a huge cast of musicians from across the metal and hard rock worlds, and May’s involvement takes the project to a new level.
Brian May Brings His Signature Guitar Sound
Details about May’s specific contribution remain under wraps. He joins an already epic lineup of musicians recruited for Shatner’s heavy metal project.
Among the previously announced collaborators are Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, Disturbed bassist John Moyer and legendary drummer Dave Lombardo, whose résumé includes his influential work with Slayer and the Misfits.
The album was first announced by Shatner earlier this year as a massive collaboration featuring 35 hand-picked metal musicians. The project is expected to include covers of songs associated with heavy metal giants such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, alongside original material.
Shatner has already teased the project’s enormous ambitions. Shatner wrote in a social media post, “Ladies, gentlemen, SWs 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 promised that the project is “Quite literally, a gathering of forces. Loud imagination. Honest intensity. Unapologetic exploration.” The actor also emphasized there’s no slowing him down. “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,” successfully referencing that famous Star Trek quote.