What was to become part two of the highly successful Bat out of hell from 1978 was already in the making in 1981. Instigated by writer Jim Steinman, who then found out Meat Loaf was out of voice. Steinman used his songs in two of his own projects, and in 1993 just re-published them.
Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman might have seemed like the perfect match, but they really were not. Before and during the production they were at odds, fighting over the different edits of songs. The title of the album is according to Jim Steinman because he wanted to tell more of the tale he started in Bat out of hell. Bat Out of Hell to me was ultimately very heroic though it was funny … and I wanted to do one that to me would be even more heroic and more epic and a little more operatic and passionate (in an interview in 1981). Meat Load said it more bluntly: We called it Bat Out of Hell II ‘cos that would help it sell shitloads.
And selling it did: more than 14 million copies have been sold, with different edits and remasters appearing over the years. My copy is one of those, as I bought it new in 2024 (yes, we’re getting close to the present time).