There's still some fight in the ol' dog... (Bat Out Of Hell 3 - Meat Loaf)

Member Name: ManUtdBoi

Product:	Bat Out Of Hell 3 - Meat Loaf
Date:	30/10/06 (184 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: vastly improved vocals, bloated elaborate feel

Disadvantages: no longer the work of Steinman

1977 saw the start of possibly the most grandiose rock trilogy in the history of music, the Bat Out Of Hell series’. Almost 30 years later and Marvin Lee Aday - better known to most as Meat Loaf - is back with the third and final instalment in the trilogy, Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. Having split with former producer/writer Jim Steinman - the man lorded by many as the key to the series’ previous success - after a lengthy court battle over the rights to the series’ naming rights, Meat Loaf has dragged aboard Desmon Child as replacement on production duties; but one thing remains evident throughout - the shadow of Steinman looms large over BOOHIII’s 14 tracks, serving notice as to just how big a part he played in the staggering successes of parts 1 and 2.

What made the first two ‘Bat’ albums such staggering successes was the fact that they were such sporadically ridiculous packages, moulding together tracks many others wouldn’t dare to do, intentionally poking fun at the ungodly bombastic nature of it all. The likes of ‘I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)’ defined who Meat Loaf was, a man for whom the word boundaries didn’t exist; for his music - in particular the two Bat outings - transcended any such borders, mixing the ridiculous with the magical to make for two of the finest rock albums’ ever made. In fact, a line from ‘Seize The Night’ best remarks as regards the discs’ intentions… “let your visions be outrageous”, for that was how it was, anything that could be done was done.

Bat Out Of Hell III is a patchwork collection of old Steinman moments, intended Batman musical songs, and other assorted Loaf’ ditties. Lacking the cohesiveness of the first two Bat outings, the songs on III stand up as their own, with the likes of ’Bad For Good’ and ’Cry Over Me’ portraying the overtly-theatrical sound we’ve come to expand from Mr Aday. It’s the kind of bombastic outing you can imagine playing out in a dark abandoned mansion, such is the grandeur behind the songs, and whilst Steinman may be long gone, Meat’s calling up of the likes of Brian May and Steve Vie give a more rounded off-the-wall feel to the musical aspects of the disc, allowing it to forgoe the boundaries of modern rock and play out as a made-for-opera musical.

Power ballads are plentiful; ‘Cry Over Me’ and ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’ - previously a hit for Canadian squealer Celine Dion - hark back to rock’s grand heyday, and vocally portray a man on top form, eradicating any lingering memories of his 2003 dud ‘Couldn’t Have Said It Better’ album. It’s often said that Meat Loaf’s success has been sparse aside from the Bat trilogy - and it’s a fair point, as these sound fuller, grander, and substantially more excessive in virtually all respects. ‘Alive’ is a drive-by classic in waiting, a breezy ode to old Loaf, it sees the big man pump out lines like “I’m still alive” with the conviction of old. ’Seize The Night’ and ’Cry To Heaven’ provide a couple of old Steinman moments, and whilst many will ask as to why such tracks are being regurgitated to this day, the bombastic pomp that sees them stand out should cover any such questions.

The rockers also rock far harder than before, with title track ‘The Monster’s Loose’ kicking like something out of the early 00’s nu-metal fad; and whilst they seem slightly out of place amongst a selection of such fine operatic stadium moments, they portray the ol’ adage of a dog with plenty of fight left in him. ‘If God Could Talk’ is another slow builder, gently coupling piano with Mr Loaf’s trademark pipes for a track that builds and builds to a typically Meat chorus as he cries to us to “run away, and find another life”. ‘What About Love’ is the crooning moment, another destined for a future ‘driving classics’ CD, it sees Meat duet with Patti Russo (who also gives vocals elsewhere on the album), whilst ‘The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be’ is a slightly rockier coupling with former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson,

The musical-esque bombast makes itself most evident on ‘Seize The Night’; a nine-minute long Steinman number, it’s opening is reminiscent of something you’d hear on The Phantom Of The Opera, such is it’s dramatic overbearing feel. In fact, the prominence of piano in nearly all of the discs’ 14 tracks gives much to the grandly elaborate feel, as the tracks build from delicate intros to soaring chorus’ and in some instances, particularly interesting bridges - courtesy of May, Vai et al. The aforementioned Jennifer Hudson and Patti Russo add a much needed twist to their respective moments, continuing the big mans’ tradition of male/female duets on his most popular moments - and in both cases, it works particularly well.

It’s testament to Marvin Lee Aday that nearly 30 years on from the original Bat Out Of Hell album, he can still muster the strength to forgoe the lack of Steinman influence and produce an album that stands head and shoulders above anything else released this year. Vocally it’s big, musically it’s ridiculously vast, and as an overall package… it’s possibly his finest outing in 13 years. Kudos big man.

Summary: Bat Out Of Hell III is Meat Loaf's finest work in 13 years, and a brilliant return to form