William Shatner recruits Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo for heavy metal album

William Shatner’s next musical left turn now comes with one of metal’s most respected drummers in the chair. Dave Lombardo, the Cuban-American player best known as a co-founding member of Slayer, has been added to Shatner’s upcoming heavy metal project, a pairing that gives the album instant credibility far beyond celebrity novelty.

Lombardo said it was a “true privilege” to contribute drums to Shatner’s “ambitious heavy metal project,” and that “real artists keep pushing boundaries.” For a record built around an actor-singer with a long track record of reinvention, Lombardo’s involvement signals that the rhythm section is being treated as a central force, not background decoration. His résumé stretches well beyond Slayer, with work in the Misfits, Fantômas, Dead Cross, Mr. Bungle and Empire State Bastard, a resume that fits a project aiming to bridge classic metal, thrash and more experimental territory.

The album is being assembled as a large-scale metal event. Shatner first announced on February 19 that the record would feature 35 hand-picked metal icons and arrive through Cleopatra Records in 2026. He also said it would include covers of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, alongside new songs written by Shatner and his team. On March 25, he confirmed that Rob Halford would appear on a cover of Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.”

The latest update also brings in John Moyer of Disturbed, while production is being handled by Adam Hamilton and Cleopatra Records president Brian Perera, with additional production from Derek Hughes, Marcus Nand and Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps. Another Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist is set to be announced shortly, adding another layer of anticipation to a lineup already packed with metal pedigree.

For drummers, Lombardo’s presence is the kind of booking that changes how a crossover record is read. He is not there to decorate the project with name recognition. He brings the kind of precision, aggression and authority that helped define modern thrash, and that makes Shatner’s album feel like a serious metal undertaking rather than a one-off stunt. With Lombardo, Moyer and Halford now attached, Shatner’s record is shaping up as a carefully built heavy-metal showcase where the kit matters as much as the voice.