Bat Out Of Hell, The Musical - A Steingasmic Operatic Experience

I recently procured the soundtrack to a musical I didn't know existed, but was incredibly awed once I found out that it did: Jim Steinman's "Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical." This. Is. The. Coolest. Thing. On. Earth. Well, okay, maybe not the coolest thing — there's still Orange Julius and Mongolian Grill, and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, and the macOS operating system — but you get the idea, right? It would appear that good ol' rock composer Jim Steinman finally achieved his lifelong dream of creating a Peter-Pan-like, dystopian, sci-fi romance for the stage — and a musical, at that — featuring a number of his epic, Wagnerian rock-operatic songs, almost all of which have been taken from his past oeuvre of work with Meat Loaf. When I found out this was really a thing, I was ecstatic. (See elsewhere on this website for my fanboyish obsession with Steinman and his work.) I was like, "Holy shit! He actually did it!" So, without further ado, a quick review of the two-disc soundtrack album, recorded by the original cast:

The album is very slickly produced. The sound is very open and clear, with every instrument very clear within the mix; the guitars are lightly used, but when they do show up in the arrangements, they are really effective. They add a great rock 'n roll edge to the arrangements, and are really loud in some of the songs (such as the version of "Bat Out Of Hell" that appears here). So, that's good. The "solo" guitars are a little thin, though; they could've used some beefing up, I think. But then again, this is for a theatre audience, not a rock concert audience, so I can sort of understand the guitars not being balls-out loud and distorted. The orchestra sounds great and very full, with the brass and string ensembles both getting a good workout here and there, especially the strings in some songs. The choir that accompanies some of the arrangements is in full voice as the backup singers for many of the songs, and they sound gorgeous. The mix is exceptionally good; like I said, every instrument and part seems clear and separate, and very "visible" in the mix. Nothing is muddy and there is no clipping or overbearing loudness, and you don't have to turn the speakers up to hear any instruments, as everything is evenly spaced in the mix. That's some good engineering, right there. Finally, the vocals sound sensational, and that's good, especially because there's a large cast involved, and sometimes they sing together, and one on top of the other, or several all on top of one another . . . but again, nothing ever gets muddy or muddled in the mix; the voices remain distinct and listenable at all times, and high notes and long, sustained legato notes don't feel like they're firing your speakers up. And the bass . . . good god, there's a lot of great bass in the soundtrack, and it plays and resounds smoothly, even on crappy speakers. I feel like this thing was produced by freaking Alan Parsons, but it wasn't; it was produced by a tag-team of Steven Rinkoff, Michael Reed, and Jim Steinman himself. Say what you will about his songwriting, but Steinman knows how to twiddle knobs and adjust faders. He's a dynamite producer.

And that brings me to Steinman’s songs themselves. They are wonderfully used here! I love these songs so much — I grew up loving them, and still love them to this day, and will always love them. And finally, I feel like I understand them so much better. This is how these songs were meant to be heard. This is their proper context: Sci-fi. The story of Peter Pan in a post-apocalyptic future. A tale of teenage angst and rebellion and hormones gone haywire. That’s what Steinman’s music has always been about, and here it finds its final, appropriately vital niche. Listening to Strat sing Bat Out Of Hell is a revelation; not because the kid’s voice is better than Meat Loaf’s (hey, no one can be Meat but Meat), but because the song feels so right here, shared in this moment between Strat and Raven. Same goes with Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through, For Crying Out Loud, and the other numbers in this musical. They all just fit perfectly, so perfectly. It’s All Coming Back To Me Now is utilizes to heartbreaking effect; and Paradise By The Dashboard Light was never funnier or more poignantly put to good use. I’d Do Anything For Love is the closing number, and boy is it amazingly sung by the entire cast; I used to swear by the Meat Loaf version of this song—aside from a killer metal cover by the band Xandria—but man, I don’t know anymore . . . the cast just kills it, and they kill it with fire, my friends! And I mean that in a good way, of course. There are some Steinman songs that I wish were here. Going All The Way Is Just A Start (A Song In 6 Movements) didn’t make it. I wish it had. But then again, its proper home is Tanz der Vampire, as Braver Than We Are, I suppose.

I do have some minor quibbles, here. The songs are not as “long” as the songs on the albums they are taken from; they are much shorter than their full-length counterparts in some cases. And sometimes this is good (as in the case of For Crying Out Loud), sometimes it is bad (for instance, Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through; and I miss the gorgeous bridge section in Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere). Oh well. Can’t have everything, I guess.) I realize this was probably a concession to the length of time available on ordinary CDs, and to the length of time that an audience can realistically be expected to sit still in the theater . . . . but, still. These are fantastic songs. These are hymns and paens to teenage abandon and they are wild-youth anthems; they are Steinman’s “erections of the heart.” They deserve to be heard in all their glory. I wish Jim had seen fit to compose a second, longer version of the musical that featured the songs in their full-length incarnations, but still sung by the cast of the show. Now that would’ve been something to behold! It would’ve taken 4 CDs to hold it, but . . .

The young cast's performances are likewise stellar. And "young" is good. I emphasize the word "young" because really, Meat Loaf is 72, and Steinman himself is 71. They’re still fantastic musicians, but, I think it's time to pass the torches, guys, in the name of keeping the flames burning. And this amazing young cast are the perfect new vehicles for Steinman's grandiose, Wagnerian rock stylings and his beautifully deranged, bombastic romanticism. I say let them run with it! Andrew Polec, the kid who plays "Strat" — the main protagonist of the musical, Steinman's Peter Pan stand-in — has an incredible voice, and he's very much what I think a younger Jim Steinman might've sounded like in a parallel universe. And the girl who plays "Raven" — Christina Bennington—the leading lady, Strat's love-interest — has a great set of lungs and vocal cords on her as well; she can really pack a punch when she belts out Steinman's soulful operatic tunes, and I'd love to see her launch a solo career singing his works. The supporting cast is fantastic, too. They all do such a good job, I could list every one of them, compliment every one of them, use a hundred adjectives, and still not say enough superlative things about them.

If Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical is a visitation of Steinman’s past as a composer and lyricist—and duh, of course it is—then it's visitation that's damn well worth the trip down memory lane. For both him, and for us. It's a colossal, epic orgy of "Steinmania," and it's terrific, over-the-top, gothic, and fantastic in every way that there is. This is, after all, how Steinman always wanted these songs to be performed: In an actual theater, on a stage, with impressive set-pieces, by an entire cast of performers dressed in wild costumes, with an orchestra and a rock band together in the pit, complete with savage dance routines and epic monologues, and with whiz-bang special effects, lighting effects, and giant video screens to boot. The show is light on plot and story, but that's okay; if you're going to see Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical for it's story, you're in the wrong theater, folks. The book is by Steinman, and his dialogue skills are excellent, as evidenced by the snippets of dialogue you get to hear between some of the songs . . . because oh yeah — unlike some of Lloyd Webber's soundtracks, this one doesn't include any dialogue from the show (or at least, not much of it). It's just the songs.

All in all, I'd say this is a great two-disc album to own. Especially if you're a Steinman and/or Meat Loaf fan. The songs are fantastic, the performances are great, and the quality of the mix and the recording itself are terrific. The arrangements are a little wimpy in places, so if you're looking for all of the songs to stay true to their hard rock roots, well, sorry. Your mileage may vary with this concept though. Me, I kinda liked it, kinda didn't. I miss the gargantuan excess of the longer, more elaborate versions of the songs from the original albums, but at the same time, these smaller, more scaled-down versions can be a breath of fresh air, especially since they also tend to have sparser, less full-bodied arrangements. Most of the time, they work. Sometimes, though, they leave you pining for their longer, album-cut cousins, as is the case with the version of "Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through" that appears here. It's way too short, in my opinion, and deserved a place of greater prominence in the show. I also miss the gorgeous bridge section of “Good Girls Go To Heaven” and the awesome guitar work on “Out Of The Frying Pan (And Into The Fire).” Not to mention all the histrionic choirs and mad cellos and wailing guitars from “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Wont’ Do That).”

Bottom line: If you're a Steinman and Meat Loaf fan, this is an album you can't afford to miss out on. Go buy it today, right now. You can thank me later, if you can get the songs unstuck from from your head!

"Jim Steinman's Bat Out of Hell: The Musical" debuted in London’s West End in 2017, bringing to life the long-awaited realization of a project Steinman had been nursing for over 40 years. What began as a dream to stage a rock musical in the early 1970s evolved into a trilogy of iconic albums with Meat Loaf, culminating in this theatrical production. The musical is a tour de force of theatrical rock, encapsulating Steinman’s grandiose vision of rebellion, love, lust, and apocalypse. It’s a production where music and drama intertwine in ways that only Steinman could conjure, pushing the boundaries of what a rock opera can be while reflecting his unique style of storytelling through song.

Steinman’s relationship with Bat Out of Hell has always been one of ambition and delayed gratification. In the early 1970s, he initially conceived the story as a futuristic, dystopian reimagining of Peter Pan, entitled Neverland. At that time, Steinman’s vision of a rock musical featuring adolescent rebellion, motorbikes, and larger-than-life emotions was considered too ambitious, if not downright unfeasible, for Broadway or the London stage. However, fate brought him together with Meat Loaf, and Bat Out of Hell found life as an album instead.

The 1977 record was a towering success, but Steinman never lost his desire to see the songs performed as they were originally intended—in a full-scale, theatrical setting. He revisited the idea multiple times over the years, weaving elements from his Neverland project into his various works, but it wasn’t until 2017 that the full rock opera took form. Directed by Jay Scheib, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical premiered at the Manchester Opera House before transferring to the West End’s Dominion Theatre in London. This stage production finally allowed Steinman’s monumental vision to be realized in a physical, immersive space.

The musical itself is a brilliant fusion of classic rock and operatic elements, an amalgamation of Steinman’s signature musical techniques that elevate every moment into a grand emotional landscape. The music of Bat Out of Hell: The Musical draws heavily from the original 1977 album, as well as songs from Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993) and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006). Steinman’s music is characterized by its maximalism—epic, sweeping ballads interspersed with bombastic, hard-hitting rock anthems that simultaneously evoke both grandeur and raw, youthful passion.

The musicology of Bat Out of Hell lies in its deep commitment to the traditions of rock while drawing on classical forms and motifs. Steinman’s compositions often feature multiple key changes, extended chord progressions, and dynamic shifts that make the songs feel larger than life. His ability to blend these elements with theatrical storytelling is perhaps his greatest gift. Songs like “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” or “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” have the feel of a Shakespearean love story set against the backdrop of a rock concert. Harmonically, Steinman often incorporates both major and minor tonalities within single songs, giving them a feeling of both triumph and tragedy, a characteristic that adds emotional complexity to the musical's narrative.

One of Steinman’s most distinctive musical traits is his use of leitmotifs, recurring musical themes that represent characters or ideas. These are often delivered in repeated phrases or harmonic progressions, a technique borrowed from opera. The repetition of these motifs deepens the sense of cohesion between the various storylines and enhances the larger-than-life scope of the production. Steinman’s frequent use of dramatic pauses and vocal crescendos also builds emotional tension, turning every performance into a theatrical spectacle. Visually, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical is as bold and unrestrained as the music it’s built around. Scheib’s direction, along with Jon Bausor’s striking set design, creates a dystopian, post-apocalyptic landscape that perfectly complements Steinman’s thematic focus on rebellion, eternal youth, and doomed romance. The world of Bat Out of Hell is a city trapped in a timeless state of teenage rebellion, where motorbikes and rock music are intertwined with love, danger, and death.

The set itself is an expansive, multi-level structure representing the towering metropolis of Obsidian. It blends industrial decay with a rock-and-roll aesthetic, featuring graffiti-strewn walls, neon lights, and metallic platforms. The innovative use of video projections adds an additional layer of immersion, allowing the stage to shift seamlessly between intimate moments and sweeping, high-octane sequences. The motorbike chase scenes, for example, are staged with such dynamic choreography and projection effects that they feel kinetic and adrenaline-fueled, despite being confined to a stage.

Lighting plays a critical role in the production, amplifying the emotions and energy of the music. The light design mirrors the rapid shifts in mood, bathing the stage in blood-red hues during the more dangerous, lustful moments and soft blues during moments of vulnerability and longing. The contrast of light and dark visually represents the thematic dichotomy running throughout the musical—life versus death, love versus lust, youth versus time.

The cast of Bat Out of Hell: The Musical was tasked with living up to the larger-than-life music and narrative, and they delivered performances that were nothing short of electrifying. Andrew Polec, who originated the role of Strat, the show’s central character and leader of The Lost (a group of rebellious, immortal teenagers), was an embodiment of raw energy. His portrayal combined rock-star swagger with emotional depth, capturing both the youthful defiance and vulnerability that Steinman’s music demands. His voice, capable of both tenderness and high-octane power, fit the score perfectly. Polec’s rendition of songs like “Bat Out of Hell” and “For Crying Out Loud” channeled both Meat Loaf’s original performances and added new emotional textures, particularly in the context of the show’s narrative.

Christina Bennington, playing Raven, the daughter of the despotic ruler Falco, brought a mix of innocence and rebellion to her role. Her vocals were as impressive as her acting, with performances in numbers like “Heaven Can Wait” and “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” showcasing both her range and emotional nuance. The chemistry between Polec and Bennington anchored the show’s central love story, giving the audience something emotionally grounding amidst the bombast and spectacle.

Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton, as Falco and Sloane, Raven’s parents, provided both comic relief and genuine pathos. Their duet on “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” was one of the show’s highlights, blending humor with the underlying tragedy of a relationship in decline. Fowler’s portrayal of Falco captured both the character’s ruthlessness and his moments of self-reflection, while Sexton’s Sloane was both tender and fierce, particularly in her rendition of “What Part of My Body Hurts the Most.”

Critically, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical was met with a range of responses. Many praised the production’s sheer audacity and its commitment to Steinman’s maximalist vision. The Guardian described the show as “a piece of grandiose, operatic rock and roll theater that you can't help but love,” while others acknowledged the overwhelming scale and energy that sometimes verged on the excessive. For fans of Steinman’s music, however, the spectacle was part of the appeal.

One recurring theme in the critical response was the show’s unapologetic embrace of emotional intensity. Unlike many modern musicals that favor minimalism or irony, Bat Out of Hell is bombastic in every sense. It celebrates excess, from the vocal performances to the set design, and it taps into a kind of primal emotional energy that some critics found thrilling, while others found exhausting.

For audiences, however, the show was an overwhelming success. The devotion of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman fans ensured packed houses, and the production quickly developed a fervent following. Many saw the show multiple times, reveling in the opportunity to experience Steinman’s music in its intended theatrical form. The combination of nostalgia for the original albums and the fresh staging of these beloved songs created a kind of communal experience, where audiences could lose themselves in the soaring choruses and emotional catharsis.

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical stands as a fitting tribute to Jim Steinman’s career, encapsulating everything that made his music so enduring and unique. The rock opera format, with its blend of drama, music, and visual spectacle, was always where Steinman’s heart lay, and this production allowed his work to come full circle. It took decades to bring to the stage, but the result was a thrilling, larger-than-life experience that honored both Steinman’s visionary creativity and his lifelong partnership with Meat Loaf.

Musically, the show offers a masterclass in how rock can be elevated to the level of operatic theater, utilizing every tool at its disposal to create emotional impact. The songs are timeless, but their context within the narrative of Bat Out of Hell: The Musical gave them new life. Vocally, the performances were exceptional, particularly in balancing the sheer power required for the music with the emotional subtlety needed for the characters.

Visually, the production was a spectacle that matched the scope of Steinman’s vision, pushing the boundaries of what rock theater can achieve. The dynamic set design, video projections, and lighting effects created a world where rock music and dystopian storytelling could flourish. For audiences, it was a chance to be immersed in the chaotic, emotional, and ultimately triumphant world of Bat Out of Hell, a world that Steinman and Meat Loaf had been building for decades.

Ultimately, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical was not just a stage show but a celebration of Steinman’s larger-than-life ethos—a rock and roll dream that finally became reality.