THE return of outrageous rock operatics, catchy choruses that go on for days and ballads that will make hairy tattooed men weep can mean only one thing.

Bat Out Of Hell is back for its third outing.

This time around The Monster Is Loose - and Meat Loaf is loving every minute of it.

Only the big man could get away with this 80-minute epic that will leave you humming, whistling or bouncing along to nearly every song.

Meat's mentor and songwriter Jim Steinman wrote seven of the tracks after the resolution of a lawsuit between the pair over the Bat Out Of Hell trademark.

A number of collaborators, including Desmond Child, who has worked with Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, penned the rest, but the formula of the first two albums remains the same.

Power rock balladry, huge arrangements, and every other Meat Loaf clich you can think of. When the album does attempt to stray from what the singer knows best the results are embarrassing.

Land Of The Pigs, with the rallying cry: "In the land of the pigs the butcher is king!" is his stab at industrial rock. It's a stinker.

Nu-metal rears its ugly head on the disastrous title track.

It's All Coming Back To Me Now is a basic rewrite of I'd Do Anything For Love. The track is pure cheese, but still impossible to get out of your head. Blind As A Bat has a glorious chorus, and If It Ain't Broke Break It will leave you breathless. Meat's rock excesses go into overdrive on Seize The Night which features a children's choir chanting in Latin.

So if this album comes into your possession do the following: Lock your door, learn the words, grab your hairbrush, and unleash the monster in front of your bathroom window.

Enjoy it for crying out loud!

  • Meat Loaf will play Sheffield Hallam FM Arena on May 27 2007 on his Bat Out Of Hell III: Seize The Night Tour. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am at £45 and £37.50 on 0114 256 5656.

Win the CD

COURTESY of Mercury, The Press has five CDs of Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell III to be won.

See page 30 of today's The Press for details.