William Shatner Announces Heavy Metal Album With Zakk Wylde...No, Seriously
Captain Kirk is about to melt some faces.
There are very few people who have crossed the threshold of living more than 90 years on this planet who are as sharp as William Shatner.
Fresh off a great Super Bowl commercial for Raisin Bran (it's hard not to chuckle every time they say "Will Shat"), the acting legend who has done it all, including going to space, will be putting out a new record.
A heavy metal record.
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According to Metal Hammer, the 94-year-old put out a statement on Friday announcing his plans.
"Metal has always been a place where imagination gets loud," he 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…"
Those artists include Ozzy Osbourne axe man and Black Label Society maestro Zakk Wylde, the legendary Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple and Rainbow (on guitar, hopefully, not lute), Henry Rollins, and more.
William Shatner announces a heavy metal album at 94, covering Sabbath, Priest and Maiden with Zakk Wylde and other rock legends onboard.
"I’ve spent a lifetime exploring in both reality and fiction," Shatner continued. "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."
Now, not only is an actor doing a metal album in his nineties not unprecedented — the late, great Sir Christopher Lee did two, both about Charlemagne, because that is very metal and badass — but Shatner is buddies with Wylde and has worked with him before on a spoken-word rock album.
Speaking of which, who could forget the gem that is his 1978 rendition of Elton John's "Rocket Man?"
Admit it: you sat and watched that whole thing.
Me too.
The currently untitled record will be released at some point this year.
I'm anxious to see how Captain Kirk goes about tackling some Maiden, Sabbath, and Priest, so I know I'll be checking this out whenever it drops.