For decades most fans have likely envisioned Ann Wilson as the vocal powerhouse behind the sound of Heart, and rightfully so. Ann has served as the lead vocalist since the beginning, and has made a name for herself as one of the best female rock vocalists of all time.

These days Ann and her sister Nancy — who is no vocal slouch herself and is also a fine guitarist – are  planning some changes for their next new album, which the group has already begun working on. This time, they are experimenting with more harmonies, a development that does not seem to bother Nancy at all.

“It’s just a way of reinventing, and having more fun, and taking some of the pressure off of Ann as a singer,” she told Reuters during a recent interview.

She also went on to say that she really enjoys the chance to use her vocal talents when the opportunity presents itself, but adds that the material has to be a perfect fit for her voice.

The new album is scheduled to be released next summer, but since they are said to be taking their time on it, it’s hard to think that fans can be certain of a 2010 summer release. As for how the release will be done, that’s something they are currently thinking about.

They do not sound terribly satisfied with the way the release of their last album was handled by Capitol back in 2004 when they released  Jupiter’s Darling. Perhaps they will consider an exclusive deal with one of the big retailers – something we mentioned quite recently here, and seems to be working well for other veteran acts like the Eagles and AC/DC.

With eight tracks reportedly recorded so far, Heart returns to the studio in a few weeks to resume work. Also on their itinerary is a summer tour with fellow classic rockers Journey, which is probably keeping the group quite busy with rehearsals and other preparations. It’s clear that the Wilson sisters are not just sitting around and waiting to grow old, something their fan base is most likely very happy to see.

For the full story, visit Reuters.