Meatloaf Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell MCA/Universal By David Chiu

The title of comeback artist of 1993 would undoubtedly belong to Meatloaf. Between Bat Out of Hell and its sequel, presented here as a 2-CD deluxe edition, Mr. Aday couldn't even get arrested-he was that far gone into obscurity. Bat II fulfills the original album's over the top, rock and roll dreams/teen lust fantasies thanks to Jim Steinman's theatrical songwriting and Meatloaf's operatic voice. Despite the bombastic arrangements and long song titles, there is still something infectious about the tunes, most particularly "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)," "Objects In the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are," and "Rock and Roll Dreams Come True." The second disc consists of single and edit versions of the original album's songs. Meatloaf and Steinman may have their share of knocks but the critical nitpicking wasn't enough to prevent the album to hit the top of the charts. In fact, maybe a little bit of that pomp from Bat I and II could be used to inject a little camp into a stale rock and roll scene.

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