Meat Loaf
Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose

THE REVIEW

Today I want to talk to you about Meat Loaf.

His real name is Marvin Lee Aday, but by now everyone calls him Meat Loaf. It's likely that you've seen him in some films like The Rocky Horror Show from 1975, based on the musical of the same name, or in the more recent Fight Club (he was the former athlete who got "man boobs" due to steroids). That said, the name Meat Loaf in the music industry is undoubtedly linked to the rock opera Bat Out Of Hell. The first installment sold, I dare say, reasonably well: over 30,000,000 copies (!!!) and the second installment half of that.

I want to talk to you about Bat Out Of Hell III, released last year. However, first, it's good to try to outline the genre: not an easy operation.

The songs of Bat Out Of Hell I and II, entirely composed by Jim Steinman and performed by the powerful voice of Meat Loaf, are exaggerated, pompous, unabashedly baroque, and extremely theatrical. It takes wit to understand that a person who calls himself "meat loaf" (this is, in fact, the Italian translation of meat loaf) in honor of his ungraceful forms is gifted with great self-irony. He does not at all set himself up as the savior of rock, as one might gather by absentmindedly looking at the artwork of the aforementioned works with Harley Davidson flying out of hell. On the covers, as flashy as few are, stands the name of the super rockstar "MEAT LOAF." The parody is thus obvious, both in the exaggerated story of the concept and in the sound where guitars mix with heavy orchestrations, sweet and meticulous melodies, in songs that last an eternity with continuous time changes, obsessive repetitions of the choruses, and the introduction of gospel choirs following.

In truth, this work (brilliant) is a huge mockery of all rock stars and one of the greatest paradoxes of music history. Why? Because it's incredibly defined as a sum of rock opera, when the sounds are hyper-polished, enticing, and meticulously refined with manic professionalism. It's all a matter of self-persuasion: with such artwork and such a story, this record can't help but be damn rock, and people ended up believing it, considering Bat Out Of Hell a sum of the genre. In this regard, I read on this site a review claiming that rock was born with Bat Out Of Hell!!!! An incredible paradox that personally makes me laugh heartily and roll off my chair... In truth, it's an excellent pop with some guitar shreds to muddy the waters. In my opinion, it's necessary to enter this mindset to appreciate these two great records (I adore the first two): many do not.

The first work was released in 1977, the second in 1993, and the latest in 2006.

The cover of Bat Out Of Hell III sees our hero with his indispensable Harley and sword in hand, ready to face the monster and save the damsel in distress. The sounds are, as in the previous chapters, in dichotomous opposition as the entire CD is dotted with a sea of ballads and danceable gallops. But really, can't you see it's a massive joke???

Honestly, this latest effort titled "The Monster Is Loose" in my opinion has no reason to exist. Our Meat is already 60 years old, and he even broke off relations with his "arm" Jim Steinman. The two almost went to court as the composer did not want Meat Loaf to perform his songs for the aforementioned work. In a nutshell, the CD picks up the sounds of the previous installments without, predictably, reaching their heights. Songs like "Blind As A Bat", "Alive" and "Bad For Good" or the already famous "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" (Celine Dion) may appeal very much to newcomers, but they have the flavor of the already heard. A nice CD (with a bunch of guests I don't feel like listing) that ruins a beautiful saga. Fortunately, the "Monster Is Loose"... let's hope it doesn't resurrect, I add.