He's back with another Bat Out Of Hell release, although this time Desmond Child is in the production seat with Jim Steinman still popping-up on a few songs as lyricist.

In fact Meatloaf continues to be a environmentally sound musician recycling old songs with 'Bad For Good' (first featured on Jim Steinman's solo album of the same title) and the Pandora's Box tune 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' amongst the four songs on here recorded previously by other artists.

Overall it is as you would expect - big production, layers of vocals, lots of guitars and Meat Loaf in fine, theatrical voice.

There are some real show stoppers on here like 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now', with Marion Raven on co-vocals (what a find she is!) and Brian May lends his unmistakable sound to the rocker 'Bad For Good'. Meat Loaf even ventures into nu-metal sounds on 'The Monster Is Loose', whilst the heart wrenching ballads are in place with 'Cry Over Me' and 'If God Could Talk'. 'Blind As A Bat' written by Desmond Child proves there is life after Jim Steinman, possibly the best song under the Meat Loaf banner for a long time.

This is theatrical rock at its best as you could easily imagine each song being performed in a stage show and Meat Loaf has lost none of his vocal prowess. It's not 'Bat Out Of Hell' but then again I doubt he would ever achieve that again. That said it will delight his fans and hopefully win some new ones as nearly all of the music on here could gain airplay.

****½

Review by Jason Ritchie

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