William Shatner has announced plans to record a metal album, backed by such noted metalheads as Peter Frampton, Bootsy Collins, and Steve Howe of Yes. The album, titled Seeking Major Tom, also features contributions from Mike Inez, Brian May, and Zakk Wylde, whom Shatner recently tweeted has contributed guitar to a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.” Oddly, May will not be doing the same for the proposed cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” meaning he’ll be appearing on one or more of the other 20-something songs Shatner is said to be working on—most of which have a “space” or “flying in space” theme, according to Shatner—and the shortlist of which includes what L.A. Weekly refers to as “Space Odyssey” (perhaps they mean David Bowie’s "Space Oddity"?), Foo Fighters’ “Learn To Fly,” “a Byrds song,” and Thomas Dolby’s “She Blinded Me With Science.” All of these, of course, will feature Shatner’s patented halting speak-sing, which should kill off any lingering irony still breathing after Pat Boone’s In A Metal Mood.