Bat Out of Hell III - If you like Meatloaf and Rock Opera this CD is for you. If you own Bat Out of Hell I and II CD s, then getting this one is a no-brainer!
Needs more Steinman - When you listen to this for the first time you ll know when Steinman s work kicks in without looking at the liner notes. At track 3, Steinman s exaggerated lyric and music kick in and for a minute you ll remember what is fun about the Bat Out of Hell series. Meatloaf sings well throughout, but only on the Steinman cuts do you find that ridiculous mix of faux operatic vocals and outrageous orchestration that made both he and Meatloaf famous. The rest is just a pastiche of the work that came before (but I do think the Dianae Warren contribution Cry Over Me works well for Meat) and pales in comparison. If you want to hear some more Steinman/Meatloaf this might be your last opportunity so take the good with the bad and skip over the other cuts.
Bottom of the Heap - All of Meatloaf s prior albums/CDs are much better than BOOHIII. I have every album/CD ever released by Meatoaf and this is the only one I regret buying.
An OK Entry - This third entry in the Bat Out Of Hell albums is OK. In my opinion there was really only good entry The Monster Is Loose. But over all is is good.
timing is everything... - 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.