Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell

In reference to variant 1, club edition. A suprisingly open and full range transfer.

A story about a horny teen trying to get laid blown up to histrionic proportions. If you took all your 70s Springsteen records, Phil Spector records, Mad Dogs And Englishmen, and Exile On Main Street and played em at the same time, you might come close to the density of BOOH. As a wee one growing up in the Bronx, recognizing Phil Rizzuto's voice on here as the guy who announced for the Yankees and did The Money Store commercials made everything in the world seem connected. Is it pure bombast? Yes, of the best tongue- in-cheek sort. Do I love it all these years later? You bet.

Does this pressing sound terrific or is it just me? This LP is clear as a bell & has unreal bass...

I love this record but I've never heard an even decent pressing of it on either vinyl or cd unfortunately

I got a NM copy with the tuff to find round hype sticker. Truly the best pressing I have heard of this album. Many people seem to like the Fridays reissue, in my opinion, this pressing makes that seem pretty terrible. Fantastic.

My copy's center label has the Epic logo from this linked copy: https://www.discogs.com/release/11155912-Meat-Loaf-Bat-Out-Of-Hell/image/SW1hZ2U6NTMyMDM0Mzc=

However, the Cleveland logo is from this current page and it is printed just above "SIDE 1" and "SIDE 2"

Catalog number is PE 34974. Matrix numbers lead to this page.

This Canuck mastered & pressed beauty sounds terrific, with actual bass response. Stereo-mix sounds good & punchy, with whisper-quiet vinyl too...

This is not a very good pressing. Lacks bass and depth. Very flat sound image and distorted voice. After cleaning with vacuum cleaning device Okki Nokki and Humminguru ultrasonic cleaner no improvement. Maybe other pressings are better?

I’ve just acquired this pressing and agree with other positive reviews here. It’s indeed the best I’ve heard this album (bearing in mind the original was sonically…well…let’s just say you can’t polish a terd) but little to no surface noise, mastered a little hot perhaps, but dynamic and clear. I haven’t heard the Friday Music pressing, but this is head and shoulders better than the Aus 1st pressing I had which sounded like listening to the album out of a tin can. If you’re fond of this album, it’s worthwhile seeking out a copy of this pressing ☮️

The only times I've ever owned Bat out of Hell on CD, it's always been this release. When I got into the Loaf back in 1992, this was the version available in the shops at the time, yet I've never REALLY understood the reason WHY it exists at all. For all intents and purposes, it's the same master as the standard European pressings around at the time... just with "Dead Ringer for Love" bizarrely tacked onto the end.

As bonus tracks go, it's barely even that. It's a "this is another Meat Loaf song you may know" situation rather than anything that supplements one's appreciation of the album.

If retailers were still putting in orders for Bat 1 CDs, why not just repress the most recent European issue: Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell? Why go through the expense of preparing new glass masters etc.?

Was the lack of "Dead Ringer for Love" a deal-breaker for punters in the market for a bit of Loaf?

Seriously... who did the market research here?!

It's likely that CBS/Sony knew Bat 2 was in the works, potentially renewing interest in Bat 1, and needed an excuse to delete the album from the Nice Price range... justifying a jacking-up of the price, whilst doing the least amount of work possible and without giving away too many tracks from Meat Loaf - Hits Out Of Hell.

Yeah, I think that's it. If in doubt... follow the money!