The mid-1980s spelled doom for most champions of '70s pomp rock, as MTV and radio fans seemed to be mesmerized by concise, synth-based pop ditties. Perhaps sensing that his sound had become passe, Meat Loaf attempted to keep pace with the current pop scene for his fifth solo album, 1986's BLIND BEFORE I STOP. He enlisted the services of Euro-dance king Frank Farian (whose name would be tossed around in the tabloids years later due to his involvement in the Milli Vanilli scandal). Farian lets Meat Loaf rock out on a few tracks, but also helps him experiment with dance sounds, something that most longtime Meat Loaf fans weren't exactly expecting.

The self-explanatory "Rock N' Roll Mercenaries" is a pure-blooded rocker, but selections such as the title track are a good example of Farian's newly proposed dance direction. BLIND BEFORE I STOP failed to reach the top of the charts in Europe (where Meat Loaf remained a hot commodity), proving that his new direction wasn't the answer to his problems. Meat Loaf wouldn't release another new studio album for seven years (until his 1993 worldwide comeback smash BAT OUT OF HELL II), concentrating instead on road work.

Which CD - Performance 8 / Sound 9