Customer Reviews

Bat Out Of Hell III

5 star:		(88)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I'll be completely up front and say that I was expecting a complete tee total disaster with this album.

Being a huge fan of the 1st two Bat Out of Hell albums, I was especially worried back when I found out that genius songwriter Jim Steinman wasn't going to be involved at all in the production/arranging of this album like he had been on Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (which is my personal favorite of the 3). Of course, everyone knows that Steinman also wrote all of the tracks on the 1st two Bat albums all by himself anyway with genius Todd Rundgren producing the 1st release..

Sure, 7 of his tracks were going to be covered the Meat Loaf on this release but the rest were going to be written/co-written by producer Desmond Child who is known more for being the type of producer who just resurrects aging artists' careers.

But lo and hehold, when I wound up picking up the 3rd Bat CD and it turned out to actually be a really strong album.

Is it as good as the 1st 2? The answer is a simple no. Without Steinman's guiding hand, the album just lacks that theatrical thread that permeates the previous 2 Bat albums.

But viewed simply as a collection of songs, the album succeeds in really strong fashion. It is easily much stronger than Meat Loaf's 2003 release "Couldn't have said it Better" and 1995's "Welcome to the Neighborhood."

As to be expected, the album's strongest points are the 7 Steinman penned tracks (4 of which have already been recorded by other artists). But the big surprise is how well the Desmond Child penned tracks blend in and stand up almost as strong.

The album's biggest weak point is the title track "The Monster is Loose". Co-written by Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx and ex-Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5, this track finds Meat Loaf doing his best to sing over a pretty bad nu-metal sounding track.

But once you get past that, things start really looking up. In fact, the 2nd track "Blind as a Bat" by Desmond Child is one of the best things that Meat Loaf has done.

In fact, he has probably never sounded better than he does on this album. There's a couple of tracks that don't quite work as well as they should, and he also has 3 duets with female vocalists on this release as well instead of just one like on the previous Bat albums. They could have maybe pared the duets down on this a bit. Also, some of the songs lack a bit of the overwrought orchestrations that Steinman gave to the 2nd Bat album. Desmond Child does his best though and the album does have one of the best sounding mixes around.

But overall, this CD is a really good listen and a must have for fans of Meat Loaf. It does stand up well to the 1st two Bat albums and musically sounds right at home with those 2 other classic releases.

Now let's see if Meat and Jim can reconcile their differences and do a 4th Bat album with Jim at the helm!

It's all coming back to me now - it's been nearly thirty years since Bat Out of Hell, and thirteen years since Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, but Meat Loaf's unique vocals and style remain the same after all this time.

Despite an initial falling out with Jim Steinman, the two were able to reach a compromise, and seven songs on the album were in fact written by Steinman (albeit for other projects). Another song was written by Diane Warren, the rest by Desmond Child, with a little help from Nikki Sixx, John "5" Lowery, James Michael and others.

For the first single, Meat Loaf reaches back into the past and resurrects "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" featuring Marion Raven, but the ones that got to me were "Alive"; "Bad For Good" with the unmistakable guitar of Brian May of Queen; the seven minute extravaganza of the title track; "Cry Over Me" written by Diane Warren; the operatic "In the Land of the Pig, The Butcher is King" with its little "Phantom of the Opera" bit; "If God Could Talk"; "What About Love" featuring Patti Russo, and "The Future Ain't What It Used to Be" with Jennifer Hudson of American Idol fame.

It's vintage Meat Loaf, and you shouldn't miss the opportunity to complete the trilogy - make it Meat Loaf on the menu tonight.




Amanda Richards, October 31, 2006

I'm a second generation Meatloaf fan, and when I heard that this album was coming out, I looked forward to it with much anticipation. I am pleased to report that I was not disappointed.

The title track, The Monster is Loose, pulls you in nicely, and lets you know what you're in for.

It's All Coming Back to Me is a powerful duet with Marion Raven, and the song sounds superior to the original version done by Celine Dion.

Bad For Good combines Meatloaf's tremendous and powerful voice with the unique and unmistakeable guitar stylings of Brian May, and it's a match made in Heaven.

In the Land of the Pig, The Butcher is King is a powerful song that sounds very much in place on this collection, and sounds like it would have been right at home with any of the Bat Out of Hell trilogy.

Monstro, though short, certainly is a dark, haunting inspiration.

Alive and If God Could Talk fit together perfectly, and are classic Meatloaf in their tone and execution.

What About Love is another stunning duet, this time with Patti Russo, and it is certainly reminiscent of the previous two albums, especially the earlier song, I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That).

Seize the Night is easily the longest track on the album, and it has an operatic feel to it. It's magnificent in its scope, and the music and singing evoke a great deal of powerful emotions in the listener.

The Future Ain't What it Used to be is a powerful duet with Jennifer Hudson, and it is perfectly at home on this album.

All in all, a spectacular album, and just what Meatloaf fans have come to expect.

I hesitated to buy this album initially, even though I am a long time MAJOR Meat Loaf fan. The samples that music providers like amazon provide are so-so at best, and some of the earlier reviews were iffy. I have tried many times in the past to go to a concert unsuccesfully, but made it to his recent tour. He played several of the songs from this album. The title track, Bad for Good, If it ain't broke, and Blind as a Bat. This was enough to make up my mind to buy it. Like alot of Meat Loaf songs, you've got to listen to them more than once to get them. This album is no different.

On this album, Meat has several songs that are good solid rock songs.

The rest are Meat Loaf in his true form. Theatrical, a little over the top, and dripping with passion. Great singing guitar riffs, great piano chords, and phenomenal vocals. Songs that tell a story so strongly that the listener can feel the emotion. If you like Meat Loaf, you will love this album.

When I first heard that Jim Steinman wasn't going to be directly involved, I was a bit worried. Would it capture the feeling of the first two "Bat" albums? Would it be a worthy end piece for the trilogy?

Well, let me tell you ... this CD blew me away!

Half the songs are by Jim Steinman, Diane Warren contributed one song, and the rest are by Desmond Child (with a few co-writers). They all fit together perfectly! There's not one weak song in the bunch. I won't comment on every song because I can't possibly tell you how good they are with mere words - you have to hear them - but I do want to mention two songs:

"It's All Coming Back To Me Now" - Forget about the sappy Celine Dion version. THIS is the way the song was meant to be performed! It has so much more power and emotion than it ever did when Celine sang it. I LOVE it!

"The Monster is Loose" - the title track, written by Child, is very different than anything Meat has ever done ... yet somehow, it is a true Meat Loaf song. It sets the tone for the entire CD and brings the trilogy into the 21st century. Possibly the best thing Child has ever written.

"Bat Out Of Hell III" definitely captures the heart and soul of the first two albums. Everything we loved about them is there, but a whole new dimension has been added to it. Meat Loaf, and the trilogy, have grown up. It was well worth the wait!

This album stunned me the first time I listened to it. I have been following Meat's recording career since I was 13 years old (when Bat Out of Hell 1 was released). This new Bat has to rank as one of his best records ever...second only to the untoppable 1978 original.

Why then, did it get almost no radio airplay? Why are sales nowhere near the heights of Bat II, released back in 1993? I can only think this: like most things in life, sucess only comes from a perfect mixture of talent and fortunate timing. When Bat II was released it was shortly after the classic Bat Out of Hell had its initial CD release, and was selling like crazy again. This boosted popular interest in Meat Loaf right before the release of the sequel. It was the perfect storm.

I enjoyed Bat II, but I really feel the new Bat III is superior. The only stumble on the new album (my opinion) is the title track; it is just not the right style for Meat Loaf's vocals.

But after that...oh, my! From the rocking "In the Land of the Pig, The Butcher is King", to the victorious "Alive!", to the poignant "If God Could Talk", to the heart-rending "The Future Ain't What it Used to Be" this record is a tour de force!

If you love Meat Loaf -- buy it. If you have never heard a Meat Loaf album before, start here. It's that good.

Well I just finished listening to the entire cd, minus the Bonus Live Track "Life is a Lemon (And I want my money back)", and exclusive bonus download track available when you purchase the cd through Circuit City, and I found the CD to be great! I was never into listening to Meat Loaf, but my girlfriend encouraged me to listen and wow! In fact I am currently listening to the cd again! I will say that not all songs intrest me, and infact some just seem to drag on. There are 14 tracks available for your listening pleasure ranging from 1 minute and 39 seconds to full 9 minutes and 46 seconds! I would say that the top three definites that I enjoyed are 1: "The Monster is Loose" 2: "Blind as a Bat" and 3: Meatloafs spin of "It's All coming back to me Now" featuring Marion Raven. I would recommend this CD if you love Meat Loaf, and I would still recommend the CD if you like Rock-N-Roll. There was nothing like driving down the Highway today on my way back from the CD store with the warm wind coming in through the window and the sun just behind my shoulder, rockin it with Meatloaf Bat out of Hell III! Rock On!

There are two schools of thought with this album, just like the previous two discs. If you didn't like either of the other albums, there's nothing here that's bound to change your mind. It's heavy-handed, overblown, bombastic, overwrought, overly dramatic, pompous, WAY over-produced, grandiose, damned near cringe-inducing and borderline laughable. In other words, everything you'd expect, and love to hate, from a Bat album.

On the flip side, the fact that it is so over-the-top makes the album work on its own terms, and make it endearing. It's everything you'd expect, demand and love about a Bat album. Indeed, there is nothing else like this Monster.

That being said, this isn't your father's Bat disc. Jim Steinman's involvement in this album is reduced, either by health issues of legal entanglements (depending on who you speak to), and replacement producer/songwriter Desmond Child (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin) spends a lot of time trying to make it sound like a Jim Steinman production. Overall, Child succeeds well, but there does seem to be a little something missing. Still, Loaf and Child stack the deck with enough old friends (Bat I's original producer Todd Rundgren, drummer Kenny Aronoff, bassist Kasim Sulton and vocalist Patti Russo) and more-than-willing new partners (Queen's Brian May, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, John 5 of Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie's band, Steve Vai, Eric Bazilian, Chris Vrenna) to give a fresh perspective on the classic feel.

The album kicks off with the "title" track, opening with more than appropriate haunted sound effects (especially given its Halloween release date) before crashing into a ragged nu-metal riff with full orchestra in tow. Just as you start wondering what the hell is going on, Meat Loaf unleashes his voice and suddenly everything clicks into place. From there, it just plugs along, careening from heavy metal overload to stage musical dramatics, from Wagnerian blasts to fist-pumping rock anthems, giving you exactly what you'd expect until it's huge, Broadway-esque ending and "epilogue". Subtlety is just not part of the Bat world.

And suddenly your realize where both Evanessence and My Chemical Romance got their influences.

Along the way, Loaf manages to steal back Steinman's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" from Celine Dion, and render it virtually unrecognizable, and far superior from its former MOR hell. Although it takes a bit to get past Meat, who is fast approaching 60, duetting with Marion Raven who is maybe 20, you do get past it. This is this album's "I Would Do Anything For Love" or "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad".

This is a heavier, darker album than the previous incarnations, almost to the point of being a bit TOO heavy-handed. This is the more "adult" version of the Bat saga. No teenage back seat affairs of "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" here. But again, Meat is near 60; cruising for chicks isn't part of the game plan anymore. Some of the humor associated with the previous works (the baseball bit from "Paradise..." for example) is sadly missing this time around, as are bits of dialog such as the "Hot Summer Nights" intro from the first album, and the "Wasted Youth" monologue from the second. You don't realize you miss them until they're gone.

The thing that holds this mess together is Meat Loaf himself, whose voice hasn't sounded this damn good since the first Bat album. It's obviously a bit more personal this time around, and he approaches every song like a Shakespearean actor. He lives and breathes this material, giving it everything he has. The music and production has to be this bombastic just to keep up with him.

In the end, we have a full disc length's worth of 6 to 8 minute songs comprised of total rock excess, just as before. However, the songs are far more cohesive than on Bat II. The tracks go somewhere, rather than just endlessly repeating riffs again and again. Bat II could have easily lost 15 minutes and you wouldn't have missed anything. There is a shortage of obvious hit singles, "It's All Coming Back..." the one exception, and it does lag a bit toward the end, but the whole is better than the sum of its parts. Still doesn't measure up to the first album (nothing really could), but it is worthy of the Bat Out Of Hell moniker. In fact, I prefer to think of this at Bat III - the Apology, as I had some serious issues with the second album. Jim Steinman is the better rock anthem writer, but Desmond Child is the better producer.

Meat Loaf has said that this is the last Bat album, as well as his rock swan song. However, there are also rumors of a 4th installment due in a couple of years and a full reunion with Jim Steinman. While what is here, and what is missing, does whet the appetite for another batch of Bat songs, The Monster is Loose is a fitting endgame for an unlikely rock God. There is no one else quite like Meat Loaf. Thankfully.

Like a monster movie, Bat Out Of Hell III is pure guilty pleasure. You shouldn't like this stuff...but you do. Sometimes, just sometimes, monsters are good to have around.

Unquestionably, a very good effort. I have not heard a more ferocious opening for an album (The Monster is Loose) since Welcome to the Jungle (in GNR's Appetite for Destruction). The mix is good, although a number of songs we have heard before. The only weak point of the album is the third version of "Its all coming back....", which pales in comparison to the original Pandora's Box version. The power ballad "Blind as a Bat" deserves special mention. There are a number of Jim Steinman songs which never sound old. Overall, the album has a cohesiveness, which I felt would not be retained with so many producers and songwriters.

As a longtime meatloaf fan, I have to admit this album does sound different from its first and second Bat Out of Hell albums. Meatloaf's vocal is still very powerful though. The first time listening to this album, I thought it is good but not that impressive. However, the more I listen to it, the more I like it. My favorite tracks are "Blink as a Bat", "What about Love" , and "If God could Talk." The sample of "the Monster is Loose" does not do its justice. The 7+ minutes version is 5 times better than the sample. I do enjoy Meatloaf's new sound. This album is definitely not a disappointment as other reviewers pointed out. Can't wait to see the concert at Madison Square Garden this year.