Heart’s Wilson sisters know that hits are fleeting and that success is ultimately measured by continued musical integrity. Being bona fide rock stars seems irrelevant to them as they continue to push the boundaries of their decades-long partnership on Fanatic, declaring “This is our story as it is now.” 

Ann and Nancy take a bold, creative headlong dive into studio exploration: hints of electronica, hard rock and folk intertwine through a barrage of drum loops, speaker-rattling overdriven guitars and two angelic voices. Ann’s pipes still bellow with pure audacity; look no further than the war-ravaged soldier’s declaration “Dear Old America,” where Ann proclaims, “We don’t beg and we don’t run,” with a hopeful weight on her tongue. Long gone are the ’80s power ballads, making way for the organic, acoustic- based grooves that define tracks like “Skin and Bones.” “Million Miles,” in its synth- programmed atmosphere, echoes U2 in the lush use of delay and percussive effect. The songwriting is superior throughout, with all tracks written by the Wilsons and produced by Grammy-winner Ben Mink.

A spirit of musical restlessness drives this new album. The Wilsons refuse to succumb to classic rock caricature; Fanatic shows them successfully reinventing themselves for a new era of rock ‘n’ roll expression.