Bat Out of Hell

A revving Harley of operatic rock purrs at the heart of this 1977 epic. Yes, it proved to be the career catapult for Meat Loaf’s brand of piano-hammering emotion, but its highlights—from the overblown 9-minute onslaught of the title track onwards—are as much the work of lead composer Jim Steinman. “Heaven Can Wait” plays like a twisted hymn and “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” turns power baladeering into a blustering art form.