Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Meat Loaf (vocals); Marion Raven (vocals); Corky James, Eric Bazilian, Steve Vai, Brian May, John 5 (guitar); Matt Rollings (piano); Mark Alexander (organ); Kasim Sulton (bass guitar); Victor Indrizzo (drums); Kenny Aronoff (percussion); Desmond Child, Todd Rundgren (background vocals).

Nearly three decades after 1977's BAT OUT OF HELL, and 13 years after its sequel, BACK INTO HELL, Meat Loaf unleashed BAT OUT OF HELL III: THE MONSTER IS LOOSE. While the album was reportedly bogged down in legal disputes between the drama-loving rock performer (aka Marvin "Michael" Aday) and songwriter Jim Steinman, the longtime collaborators apparently patched things up in time for its release on Halloween of 2006. Also assisting Meat Loaf on this typically bold and wonderfully bombastic outing are Todd Rundgren (on vocal arrangements only) and producer Desmond Child, along with a slew of guests including Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 (the uncharacteristically heavy title track) and virtuoso hard-rock six-stringer Steve Vai (the fierce "In the Land of the Pig, the Butcher Is King"). This being a BAT OUT OF HELL installment, of course, there's room for a heart-wrenching duet (with newcomer Marion Raven) on "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" (famously recorded by Celine Dion first) and grandiose pop-tinged rock on "Bad for Good," which benefits from the unmistakable guitar riffs of Queen's Brian May. If it seems like a lot stuffed into one album, it is, and that's exactly what makes THE MONSTER IS LOOSE a top-notch Meat Loaf record. minimize