New Meat Loaf Album Features Songs by Jim Steinman

Meat Loaf will return to unleash the long-awaited third installment of his famous series--"Bat Out of Hell III"--this coming fall.   The album will include a number of songs by frequent collaborator Jim Steinman (Dance of the Vampires, Whistle Down the Wind).

"The album, released on Virgin Records in North America, delivers to a new generation of listeners -- and to his many millions of longtime followers worldwide -- the still-unique, still-audacious, and still-unequalled Meat Loaf fusion of baroque, operatic emotion, brilliant, larger-than-life storytelling, jaw-dropping theatricality and raw rock-and-roll electricity," state press notes.

On October 31st, the album will be released on Virgin Records in North America, and Universal Records outside of North America.

In addition, Meat Loaf fans all over the world will be treated to "Meat Loaf -- Bat Out Of Hell Acts 1, 2 & 3 Live at Royal Albert Hall," which will be presented on October 16th, 2006, for one night only. The program will be recorded for DVD release and for worldwide television broadcast. "Bat Out of Hell" will also come to New York as a very special one-time event later this fall, on the stage of Broadway's famed Palace Theater.  The show will feature songs from all three "Bat Out of Hell" albums in the trilogy, and Meat Loaf will share the stage with special guests, still to be announced.

"Bat Out of Hell III" was produced by hit-maker Desmond Child (Kiss, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Cher) with additional vocal arrangements by Todd Rundgren (producer of the first "Bat Out of Hell").  Meat Loafs stated: "I took all the songs a little more personal; I became more internal on this record, (and) there were less character studies."

Seven songs on the album were written by Steinman, producer of "Bat Out of Hell II," and principal songwriter of the first two albums in the trilogy. His involvement follows the resolution of a lawsuit over the "Bat Out of Hell" trademark between the longtime friends and collaborators Meat Loaf and Steinman. The two came to an amicable agreement that ensured that Steinman's music would be a continuing part of the "Bat Out of Hell" legacy.

"Bat Out of Hell III" also includes songs by Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue), John 5 (Marilyn Manson), and Marti Frederiksen (a contributing Aerosmith songwriter). Nikki Sixx confirmed that the boundary-busting creative spirit of the first two albums has been maintained on this third episode of "Bat Out of Hell." "

Co-starring vocal and instrumental performers on the album include Steve Vai, on the Gothic thriller "Land of the Pigs;" the legendary Brian May of Queen, on a revival of Steinman's song "Bad For Good;" and Marion Raven, in her U.S. introduction. Raven is featured on Meat Loaf's interpretation of the Jim Steinman-penned immortal, "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," and is the first female recording artist since Cher to duet with Meat Loaf.

The two previous albums in the series have sold an estimated 45 million copies to date around the world. "Bat Out of Hell, "released in 1977, with songs bySteinman and production by Todd Rundgren, ran for an extraordinary 82 weeks on the Billboard album chart and has sold in excess of 14 million copies in the U.S. alone. It included the Meat Loaf/Jim Steinman signature hits "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad," "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth," and "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights."

The second installment, "Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell," released in 1993, included the international chart-topper "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)," and earned Meat Loaf a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance. Meat Loaf has a total of 24 multi-platinum, platinum and gold RIAA awards.

Meat Loaf has appeared in the movies The Rocky Horror Picture Show (as Eddie); Roadie; Fight Club; Wayne's World; Out of Bounds; The Squeeze; and Leap of Faith, among a total of nearly 60 television and film roles. At the outset of his performing career, he also appeared onstage in Hair in Los Angeles, Detroit and on Broadway.

For more information, please go to www.meatloaf.net