'Bat Out of Hell 3' Tops the Charts Around the World 'Three out of Three Ain't Bad'

'Bat Out of Hell 3' Tops the Charts Around the World 'Three out of Three Ain't Bad'

Halloween Release of Rock's Most Epic Adventure

NEW YORK, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirteen years in the making, MEAT LOAF's BAT OUT OF HELL III: The Monster is Loose, the third installment of rock's greatest epic serial, was released today in the US and Canada by Virgin Records America.

The epic album was released throughout Europe last week and is the #2 selling album in Germany, #3 in the UK, #4 in Switzerland, #5 in Austria, #5 in Denmark, #6 in Norway, #8 in Holland, #9 in Australia and #5 in New Zealand. The album is scheduled to be released in Southern Europe, Southeast Asia and Japan early next year.

The project was the most ambitious, committed and emotional of his three- decade career, MEAT LOAF said recently. "I knew I would have to shoot for the moon, or the end of the universe, if I was going to do Bat Out Of Hell III. The Bat just has a life of its own, so you can't say you're gonna top it or you're gonna beat it, you just have to try to do something special."

Critics agree that Meat has delivered an album worthy of the 'Bat' franchise:

Entertainment Weekly raves, " ... Meat Loaf delivers his most impassioned vocals since the original 'Bat' in 1977." (Entertainment Weekly, 11/3, Chris Willman).

"30 years after the original "Bat" made Loaf a star, he returns with 'Bat III,' a disc that recalls the original's theatrical bombast, anthemic melodies and guitar shred."

- (New York Post 10/29, Dan Aquillante)

"Loaf delivers an album that fans are going to love." (Billboard 11/4)

Just days after album release, on the evening of November 2, 2006, MEAT LOAF will star at New York's fabled Palace Theater in Bat on Broadway, a one- night-only spectacular bringing the grand rush of arena-scale rock to a theater of 1,700 seats. Each of the show's three acts is devoted to the songs of the albums, in sequence, with the third act debuting the new songs of BAT OUT OF HELL III: The Monster is Loose.

"Broadway is an opportunity for fans and critics to see Bat Out Of Hell III stand up to the two previous albums the way Europeans saw it at Royal Albert Hall earlier this month. Three out of three ain't bad," said Meat Loaf manager and CEO of Tenth Street Entertainment Allen Kovac.

When Meat Loaf rocked London's Royal Albert Hall earlier this month, astonished British critics were left grasping for superlatives worthy of the event: two national newspapers, The Independent and The Guardian awarded the show 4 stars out of 4, observing that "Bat out of Hell is as close as rock music has got to a Hollywood Blockbuster" (The Independent), and that "...parents are now bringing their children along to gigs, the Bat franchise shows no sign of abating." Metro praised the show's "grandious...imposing splendor," adding that MEAT LOAF's "lungs remain mighty enough to raise the roof." Addressing the artist's recent statements that BAT OUT OF HELL III may be the final episode in this greatest of rock franchises, the Guardian stated, "If this is [Meat Loaf's] last hurrah, then it is hard not to feel the world of music will be a less enjoyable place."

BAT OUT OF HELL III: The Monster is Loose was produced by hit-maker Desmond Child, and was made with the close participation of two key Bat Out of Hell veterans: Todd Rundgren, contributing vocal arrangements and Jim Steinman, writing seven songs. It was mixed by Grammy Award winning studio engineer Greg Collins (U2, Gwen Stefani), with string arrangements by David Campbell. Studio guests include Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx and Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 (ex-Marilyn Manson) who co-wrote the title track with Child. Guitar hero Steve Vai is also a co-writer. Also, the album includes the guitar work of Vai, John 5 and production/session whiz John Shanks, as well as an unmistakable signature appearance by Queen guitarist Brian May on "Bad For Good."

MEAT LOAF's Bat Out Of Hell (1977) and Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993) combined have sold nearly 50 million copies worldwide. The international chart-topper "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" earned a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance.

For more information go to www.meatloaf.net

Source: Virgin Records

CONTACT: Angelica Cob-Baehler, Virgin Records, +1-323-692-1195,
angelica.cob@virginrecords.com; or Kim Estlund B|W|R LA, +1-310-248-6127,
kestlund@bwr-la.com

Web site: http://www.virginrecords.com/
http://www.meatloaf.net/

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