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‘Star Trek’ Legend William Shatner Is Joining Forces With a Heavy Metal Icon for a New Version of a 1982 Metal Anthem
William Shatner, Star Trek’s original Captain James T. Kirk, recently announced plans to release a star-studded heavy metal album. Now, the actor and recording artist, who turned 95 on March 22, has shared exciting new details about the project.
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The album will feature a duet with Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford on a new version of that band’s classic 1982 metal anthem “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.” According to a press release, the track will feature “Shatner’s unmistakable spoken-word intensity” and “Halford’s soaring, powerhouse vocals,” resulting in “a bold and unexpected take” on the enduring song.
“I’ve always been drawn to the energy and storytelling of heavy metal,” Shatner in a statement. “Working with Rob on this track brings that intensity to life in a way that feels both timeless and entirely new.”
Halford added, “‘One life I’m gonna live it up!’ William Shatner is boldly doing that more than ever, and I am honored to reinforce this message with him—‘taking flight I said I’ll never get enough!’”
As previously reported, the album, which currently is in production, is due out later this year. It will feature 35 hard-rock musicians handpicked by Shatner to deliver, according to an initial press release, “equal parts thunder, theater, and fearless experimentation.”
The album’s title, track listing, release date, and full roster of collaborators will be announced soon. Besides the reimagined version of the Judas Priest song, the record will include covers of tunes by Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, as well as some new songs written by Shatner’s team.
The Inspiration Behind Shatner’s Heavy Metal Album
Shatner has explained that his heavy metal album came about after he was asked to contribute a spoken-word introduction to a song on Black Flame, the upcoming album by the metal supergroup Nuclear Messiah. Nuclear Messiah is a project overseen by founding Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland.
Black Flame, which will be released on April 24, features contributions from more than 30 well-known rock musicians. Among them are Megadeth alums Marty Friedman, Dave Ellefson, and Glen Drover; ex-Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach; former Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian; Uriah Heap’s Mick Box; ex-Rainbow singer Joe Lynn Turner; and many more.
“When Nuclear Messiah came to life, something clicked,” Shatner shared. “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.”
You can pre-order Black Flame now at CleoRecs.com.
Other Judas Priest News
Meanwhile, Judas Priest has just revealed plans to release 50th anniversary editions of its second studio album, 1976’s Sad Wings Of Destiny. The March 26 announcement comes 50 years to the day Sad Wings Of Destiny hit stores in the United States.
The album included such memorable songs as “Victim of Changes,” “The Ripper,” “Tyrant,” and “Dreamer Deceiver.”
Judas Priest said in a statement, “Sad Wings of Destiny was a defining moment for us as a band. It’s where we really began to shape the sound and identity that would carry through everything we’ve done since. To see it recognized 50 years on—and to have it presented in new editions—is incredibly meaningful.”
More details about the reissues will be announced in the coming months.
In other news, Judas Priest has more than two-dozen concerts scheduled in Europe in July, August, and September. Visit JudasPriest.com to check out the full list of tour dates.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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