William Shatner Recruits Judas Priest’s Rob Halford For New Heavy Metal Album

William Shatner is assembling a massive heavy metal album, with Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford among the guest artists set to appear. The William Shatner Recruits Judas Priest’s Rob Halford For New Heavy Metal Album first appeared on The Blast

At 95 years old, William Shatner is showing no signs of slowing down. Last month, the actor revealed that he’s working on a heavy metal album, and has recently confirmed that Judas Priest frontman, Rob Halford, will be one of the heavy metal guest artists included in the project. It’s the latest unexpected venture for Shatner’s long and exciting career.

Rob Halford Is Honored To Be Part Of William Shatner’s Album

In February, Shatner announced that he would be making a heavy metal album featuring icons in the genre. According to Louder, one of the legends that the actor has tapped to be on his album is Halford, the iconic frontman of the English heavy metal band Judas Priest.

Halford will be working with Shatner on a cover of the band’s 1982 song “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” from the album “Screaming for Vengeance.” Shatner, who has always been interested in heavy metal, said of the collaboration, “Working with Rob on this track brings that intensity to life in a way that feels both timeless and entirely new.”

Halford expressed his enthusiasm for working with Shatner, singing a line from the song, “One life, I’m gonna live it up!” adding, “William Shatner is boldly doing that more than ever, and I am honored to reinforce this message with him.”

William Shatner Announced His New Album In February

On February 20, Shatner announced on Instagram that he will be releasing a heavy metal album, writing, “I have explored space. I have explored time. Now… I explore distortion. Yes. You read that correctly. I am releasing a HEAVY METAL album.”

Shatner teased that the album, which has yet to be titled, will feature 35 “metal virtuosos” and include cover songs from the genre’s biggest bands, including Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden, plus some original songs.

“This project is, quite literally, a gathering of forces. Loud imagination. Honest intensity. Unapologetic exploration,” Shatner said. He built anticipation further by adding, “We are about to boldly headband where no one has headbanged before. Stay tuned. The metal voyage begins this year.”

What Inspired The Actor To Release A Heavy Metal Album?

The idea of releasing a mega-album featuring the greatest heavy metal artists came after Shatner’s collaboration with ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland and his new band, Nuclear Messiah. The band is slated to release their album, “Black Flame,” in April, and Shatner lent his voice for the opening track, “The Prophet of Fallout.”

“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 “Star Trek” actor said.

As yet, Shatner has not released details such as the track list or release date, but he said the project is “destined for this year.”

William Shatner Has Released Several Albums

Though he’s best known for his acting career, Shatner has also released several albums over the years. His first, “The Transformed Man,” was a spoken-word album where he recited passages from classic literature and popular songs, including “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.”

Shatner has since released several albums, although he doesn’t sing in the traditional sense. Instead, he’s known for a talk-singing style that places more emphasis on the lyrics, resulting in a more dramatic delivery.

The actor’s discography has been surprisingly diverse, ranging from holiday music (“Shatner Claus: The Christmas Album) to a children’s album (Where Will The Animals Sleep? Songs for Kids and Other Living Things”). Shatner has collaborated with many artists, including Ben Folds, Zakk Wylde, Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton, Steve Vai, Iggy Pop, and many others.

The Actor Just Celebrated His 95th Birthday

Even at 95, Shatner remains remarkably active. He celebrated his birthday on March 22 and posted a photo of himself on social media enjoying a cigar, writing a cheeky caption: “At 95, I’m still smokin’!”

The upbeat post comes weeks after Shatner underwent shoulder surgery. As The Blast previously reported, the actor sustained an injury after falling from his horse while riding. After the surgery, the actor updated his fans on March 12, saying the procedure went well. “I’m so well that tomorrow I’ll be in Cleveland at a convention,” he added, sharing that he’ll be at FAN EXPO that weekend for a conversation about “Star Trek”.

The William Shatner Recruits Judas Priest’s Rob Halford For New Heavy Metal Album first appeared on The Blast