Star Trek actor William Shatner, 94, to release heavy metal album
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William Shatner's heavy metal album will contain songs by metal bands like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.
PHOTO: WILLIAMSHATNER/INSTAGRAM
NEW YORK – Star Trek legend William Shatner is boldly going where few 94-year-olds have gone before – the Canadian actor plans to release a heavy metal album.
“I have explored space. I have explored time. Now... I explore distortion,” he wrote on social media on Feb 20, alongside a picture of himself cradling an electric guitar in front of a red, smoky backdrop.
“Thirty-five metal virtuosos. Thunderous guitars. Chaos with purpose,” he said.
He promised covers of metal staples like British bands Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, as well as “a few originals forged in the same cosmic fire”.
Shatner played the daring Captain James T. Kirk in 1960s sci-fi adventure franchise Star Trek (1966 to 1969), which follows the crew of a spaceship as it spreads liberal humanitarian ideals through the galaxy.
He also portrayed the titular character in cop show TJ Hooker (1982 to 1986) and won both a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy for his role on legal comedy-drama Boston Legal (2004 to 2008).
In 2021, he became the then oldest person to go to space when he travelled aboard a Blue Origin craft at age 90.
Revealing his new album, Shatner showed no intentions of taking it easy.
“Honest intensity. Unapologetic exploration. At 94, one does not slow down. One turns the volume up,” he said. “So, prepare yourselves. We are about to boldly headbang where no one has headbanged before. Stay tuned. The metal voyage begins this year.” AFP
