This has all the ingredients of classic Meat Loaf: the man himself, Patti Russo singing duets, excellent musicians, the almost-operatic rock songs and a decent writing team.

Except this isn't Jim Steinman, instead Nikki Sixx is the big name sharing the writing credits.

He seems to have read the 'Steinman Writes For Meat Loaf' cook book - all the right elements are there, but there's no passion, nothing new; it is like somebody who can't cook creatively following a recipe to a tee.

The title track has been released as a single, and is the highlight of Chapter One, the Intermezzo between the chapters is excellent, and Chapter Two has a real southern American feel which lifts it above the first part, more like the upbeat tracks of Mr Loaf's early albums.

Meat Loaf this may be, but it's no Bat III.

Meat Loaf plays Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, on November 22 and 29.

Updated: 11:55 Thursday, April 17, 2003