(Gut Records)

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England’s The Wildhearts have been kicking around for a decade or so and have delivered a slew of fine albums that have been quite successful in Europe, yet they are virtually unknown here and their CDs are near impossible to find. After a brief hiatus in the late-‘90s, the band regrouped and had a big hit in Europe with the single, “Vanilla Radio,” which lead to a new full-length, Must Be Destroyed. The biggest surprise here is that Must Be Destroyed is actually their best record yet, a feat rarely orchestrated by bands passing the 10-year mark.

The Wildhearts have always had trouble making consistent records. With the exception of their 1993 debut, Earth Vs. The Wildhearts, (the only one to be released in the U.S.), most of their albums tend to have all the ingredients of great albums, yet never quite hit the mark. They seem to have difficulty successfully mixing their heavy metal stomp with their penchant for power-pop hooks and the result is often too fast and hard for pop fans yet way too pop for metal/punk fans. Thankfully, Must Be Destroyed does not have this problem.

The balance between pop and hard rock is struck perfectly here. When lead singer/guitarist Ginger belts out the pummeling “Nexus Icon,” it’s as if the Swedish Invasion never happened and the Hellacopters and Backyard Babies never existed, so ass kicking is the sound. “Get Your Groove On” could be on a Megadeth album it’s so friggin’ fast and punishing. “There’s Only One Hell” also carries on in the headbanging tradition.

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