This album, every time I put it on, gives me a wake-up call. Meat Loaf/Jim Steinman's music is so emotional, so human, so real, artistic, accessible - this album is where everything came together (again!) and reminded a few million people why music is so important in one's life. I think the most important purpose about music is that it makes a person feel. It moves you. And very few things out there are more intense than this. Warning: this album is not for the casual fan of bland music. Not everyone deserves these songs. But if you think you are human, you may just pass the test.

I'm not going to waste any more than this lone sentance to utter what a shame it is that some call this music cheesy, campy, pompous, etc. - give us a break. This album is one of the best ever made. There's so much to say, it's probably doing more justice to analyze minimally here. Even nostalgic people from the first Bat Out of Hell era love this album - and THAT's a rare thing indeed, to have an album that easily rivals another classic from its own lineage-and by the same fans.

These songs address life. There's not a weak spot on the album, and not a wasted minute. I saw an interview once where Meat was asked to respond to the criticism of his songs being so long. With impeccable retort, he reasoned that none of these songs are as long as life itself. How dare anyone scorn repitition, given that probably any of these offenders' own music choices contain drum loops or samples repeated 500 times? Bat II is in your face, passionately dramatic, and far more gutwrenchingly moving than even any movie could ever hope to accomplish. If you are questioning why so many people consider Rock and Roll a religion, this album will make you believe. Listen to "Everything Louder than Everything Else:" It's loud, in your face, anthemic, - it's the only thing that matters when you're in that moment. The bagpipes at the end are awesome. The instrumental composition "Back into Hell" is highly impressive and thematic with the album as a whole.

When I'm left questioning my purpose on the planet, I take this album for a spin - 10 years later it's just as fresh - I go through the cathartic "Life is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back" (one of the greatest songs ever), into the divine "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through," on to the confession stage with "It Just Won't Quit," and on and on until the only less-than-perfect song "Lost Boys and Golden Girls" concludes this emotional roller coaster of almost 80 minutes. It's the best 12-step program there is. The songs are diverse, rocking, musical, ... perfect. Oh, and the opening ditty "I'd do Anything for Love" doesn't hurt the record either. What better alternative to the uninspired, lackluster 'alternative' music of the nineties. If lightening can strike 3 times with the upcoming Bat 3, then our Savior of Rock and Roll is alive and well. We survived disco (ok i wasn't even born yet), grunge, techno, boy bands, rap, .... and good music always wins out. There is nothing bad about this album and everything good about it. I own a diverse cd collection of almost a thousand cd's, and Bat 2 has earned a solid permanent position in my top 10. If you find Jim Steinman's songwriting to be too over-the-top, than you, my friend, need a cleansing of the soul. Yowsah.

In all seriousness: Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell is one of the best (and cheapest) ways of therapy out there. I could write a doctoral thesis on the power of each song, but find it out for yourself. A review shouldn't give away the ending, but rather it should motivate you to investigate. Not all commercial success sellers are crap. Indeed, this album is the antithesis.


Brilliant bombast, completely successful in its own way   April 15, 2005
Joseph L. Shipman
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

Practically every genre of music has its own masterpieces. Late 70's white-boy rock fantasy is a genre not many people appreciate, but I have the age and background to. This album is exactly like its great predecessor "Bat Out of Hell"; it makes up for not being the groundbreaking shocker BOOH1 was by being more complex and much longer (without sacrificing any energy). Steinman's writing is brilliant, and Meat Loaf's vocals are just as good as in 1977 (voice less angelically beautiful now but he's even better at drenching the songs in emotion).


For love   November 28, 2006
Murl J. Sprout Jr. (Bradenton, FL)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

For some reason, people ask me - and I'm not kidding - "What is it that Meat Loaf won't do for love?"

So here's the list:

HE WON'T:

* Lie to you (and that's a fact)
* Never forget the way you feel right now, oh no, no way
* Forgive himself if you don't go all the way tonight
* Ever do it better than he does it with you (so long, so long)
* Ever stop dreaming of you every night of his life (no way)
* Forget everything and "see that it's time to move on"
* Let it all turn to dust so we'll all fall down
* Be screwing around

For those of you really curious about the inner workings of his heart and level of commitment, here's what he will, in fact, do for love...

HE WILL:

* Run right into Hell and back
* take a vow and seal a pact
* be there til the final act
* do anything you've been dreaming of
* Raise you up and help you down
* Get you right out of this Godforsaken town
* Make it all a little less cold
* Hold you sacred and hold you tight
* Colorize your life because you're so sick of black and white
* make it all a little less old
* make you some magic with his own two hands
* build you an emerald city from grains of sand
* give you something you can take home
* cater to every fantasy you got
* hose you down with holy water if you get too hot
* take you places you've never known

*all items listed are from the Meat Loaf song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" from the album Bat Out of Hell 2


One of a kind acheivement !   November 25, 2000
Eran Cohen (Israel)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

"Bat Out Of Hell II" is the first CD I've ever owned, hence there's a special place in my heart preserved for this magnificent album.

As Meat's old fans know, it represented his metaphorically return to the front line of the music industry. After years of staying in the shadows without any real worth mentioning big hit, came "Bat" no. II which namely was a sequel to his former major hit album and all time classic "Bat Out of Hell" (see my past review) and functioned as a continuance to the latter.

One fact must be cleared - under no circumstances does this album put his predecessor to shame. It's a unique achievement in the rock genre without any alike around. With titles like "I'd do anything for love...", "objects in the rear view mirror", "lost boys and golden girls" - soon enough you realize that someone has done a great deal of work for you ,and you better listen ! Pay extra attention to the unforgettable "Out Of the Frying Pan (and into the fire)" a fantastic action performance.

I can determine safely that this is a masterpiece .I do not give that honor easily, but believe me, this album deserves it. It had made his advent appearance at the end of 1993, and I've been listening to it enthusiastically ever since. Time hasn't diminished the power and depth of this super fine music creation; there is only a low depreciation over this CD,so you can listen to it time and again and, to me, that's the definition of a classic music.

All in all, if consider yourself a rock fan you should buy it, you wouldn't regret your decision.


Meat Loaf: BAT OUT OF HELL II-BACK INTO HELL (1993)   July 1, 2006
Chad DeFeo (Philadelphia, PA USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

We all know who Meat Loaf is. If it weren't for his smashing 1977 debut album, BAT OUT OF HELL, Meat Loaf would be virtually unknown. In 1993, after seven years since his 1986 album, BLIND BEFORE I STOP, Meat Loaf released the album BAT OUT OF HELL II: BACK INTO HELL, the smashing sequel to his 1977 predecessor. I was always pretty fond of Meat Loaf's music, but this album just turned me from a minor fan to a major fan. This album, which is my favorite Meat Loaf album, is spectacular.

I'D DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (BUT I WON'T DO THAT)
The first single from the album. This song was the first song I had heard from Meat Loaf, back in 1993. Since the time of this single's release, I have loved this song. This song is extremely powerful in its music and lyrics. Now, the version we've all heard on the radio was well over five minutes, which is not enough time to enjoy this powerful song. The video version ran to a mere 7:40 (7 minutes, 40 seconds). Enough time to enjoy the song, but still not enough, for even the video version of the song was still not in its entirety. This album version is the full-length version that runs to an exact 12:00 (12 minutes). Yeah, it is a long song, but it is worth the whole 12:00, for this song is just one of the all-time best from Meat Loaf. Now, the female vocalist in the song was only credited as Mrs. Loud. Mrs. Loud's real name is Lorraine Crosby. But for her appearence in the video (which has a Francis Ford Coppola "Dracula" concept to it), Meat Loaf hired the beautiful actress, Dana Patrick, who also appeared in Meat Loaf's video for "I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)". This song was such a huge hit, that it shot straight to #1 in 28 different countries, including the U.S. (Billboard Hot 100). Now, people are always asking, "What is it that he WILL do for love? What is it that he WON'T do for love?" Well, it's about time you all know what it is he will do and won't do for love:
DO's:
He'll run right into Hell and back. He'll be there till the final act. He'll take a vow and seal the pact. He'll do anything you've been dreaming of. He'll raise up, he'll help you down. He'll get you right out of this God-forsaken town. He'll make it feel a little less cold. He'll hold you sacred, he'll hold you tight. He'll colorize your life, since you're so tired of black and white. He'll make it all a little less old. He'll make you some magic with his own two hands. He'll build an emerald city with those grains of sand. He'll give you something that you can take home. He'll cater to every fantasy you have. He'll hose you down with Holy water if you get too hot. He'll take you places you've never known.
DON'T's:
He'll never lie to you and that's a fact. He'll never forget the way you feel right now. He'll never forgive himself if you two don't go all the way tonight. He'll never allow any turning back. He'll never do it better than he does it with you. He'll never stop dreaming of you every night of his life. After awhile, he'll never forget everything. He'll see that it's still not the time to move on. He'll never let it turn to dust and let you and he fall down. He'll never be screwing around. There you have it: plain and simple.

LIFE IS A LEMON AND I WANT MY MONEY BACK
This 8:00 (8 minute) song is just a rock out classic for me. I love the heaviness in the guitars and drums. Great song.

ROCK AND ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH
The second single from the album. This 5:50 (5 minute, 50 second) song is another classic.

IT JUST WON'T QUIT
A 7:21 (7 minute, 21 second) classic.

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN (AND INTO THE FIRE)
This is another great classic tune, running at 7:24.

OBJECTS IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR MAY APPEAR CLOSER THAN THEY ARE
The third single from the album. This 10:15 ballad is just pure amazing. The piano in the song fits very well to the song's story. Seems as though that Jim Steinman (who has written each song on this album) has a tendency to write songs that extremely long. He has written "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" (performed by Celine Dion) (a 7:37 tune), "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" (performed by Bonnie Tyler), (a 7:01 tune), "Holding Out For A Hero" (performed by Bonnie Tyler) (a 5:50 tune), and many others that were very long. Not only were Jim Steinman-penned tunes extremely long, but they were also major hits for many artists.

WASTED YOUTH (Poem)
Performed by Jim Steinman. Jim Steinman is the voice behind this creepy and graphic poem.

EVERYTHING LOUDER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE
Great.

GOOD GIRLS GO TO HEAVEN (BAD GIRLS GO EVERYWHERE ELSE)
Great.

BACK INTO HELL (Instrumental)
A Creepy-As-Hell instrumental piece.

LOST BOYS AND GOLDEN GIRLS
This is a great ballad, and one of the shortest songs on here. This song only runs to 4:28. Two other songs on here run just over 2:00, and they are "Wasted Youth" and "Back Into Hell".

This is one of Meat Loaf's greatest masterpieces. I have been listening to this CD ever since I bought. That only goes to show you that this album is just amazing. I'm hoping that BAT OUT OF HELL III will be as great as BAT OUT OF HELL and this here first sequel.