Meat Loaf's previous
Bat Out Of Hell albums were suprising hits guided by Jim Steinman's songs and vision that held the entire sound and atmosphere together across all the tracks. Backed by Meat Loaf's powerful and emotional vocals, they wrung every drop of sadness, humor, and bravado from each stanza of music. For the most part,
Bat Out Of Hell III lacks Steinman's participation, and it took a series of court battles to use some of his music and
Bat Out Of Hell as the title. With assistance from Marilyn Manson's John 5, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx, Todd Rungren and others, Meat Loaf does his best to rekindle the old sound - and success. The 14 tracks (six of them written by Steinman) are kicked off with "The Monster Is Loose," a
Bat Out Of Hell song if there ever was one with ominous, brash guitars and Meat Loaf belting out the vocals. From there he emotes on a few ballads, including "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" (originally written by Steinman for Celine Dion) which he sings a duet with Marion Raven, before switching back to dueling guitars and repetitious lyrics in songs like "Bad For Good." Without Jim Steinman's guidance and vision,
Bat Out Of Hell III may lack the cohesion of the earlier albums. It's more of a collection of songs, but it's still Meat Loaf and it's loud and it's fun. Stylus Magazine says, "As a
Bat Out Of Hell record it’s a disappointment, but as a collection of songs that push the limits of time, space, and (occasionally) sanity it makes today’s seekers of the big music look very small."
CD released October 31, 2006.
Articles, reviews, and interviews:
Stylus Magazine review
All Music review
Billboard article
Track List:
1. The Monster Is Loose
2. Blind As a Bat
3. It's All Coming Back To Me Now
4. Bad For Good
5. Cry Over Me
6. In The Land of the Pig, The Butcher Is King
7. Monstro
8. Alive
9. If God Could Talk
10. If It Ain't Broke Break It
11. What About Love
12. Seize the Night
13. The Future Ain't What It Used To Be
14. Cry To Heaven
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