Louder, stronger than ever, pop-punk maestros A are back and this time they’re serious. Hi-Fi Serious to be precise. Hi-Fi Serious is the British band’s brand new album, an explosive, hyperactive celebration of all things great and all things rock.

Having first thundered onto the music scene with their supercharged 1999 American debut album, Monkey Kong, A once were the rock world’s best kept secret. But now all of that has changed. Hi-Fi Serious entered the charts in their native England in the Top 20 and the album’s first single, “Nothing,” a feast of crushing riffs, electronic dynamics and super infectious melodies, entered at No. 9. And that was just phase one in the band’s plan for world domination.

“The songwriting has gone up seven notches,” explains bass demon Dan Carter. “The vocals had gone up seven notches and everything else had to. Everything had to be better, more, bigger and more international. I don’t want to be in a twee little English band, I wanna be in a big international rock act. With devil horns.”

A are making serious inroads to fulfilling Dan’s ambition, and recording the album at ICP Studios in Brussels was a good start. Having played in 27 countries to support the criminally overlooked album Monkey Kong, frontman Jason Perry, recognizable by his seemingly ever present golf visor and bizarre dancing, remains full of enthusiasm for his travels.

“It’s been amazing. We’ve been from East German football stadiums to massive arenas to playing in front of five people in the American Mid-West, then onto 20,000 on the West Coast the next day.”

And now that the music world has undergone a true rock rennaisance-with the likes of Linkin Park, Blink 182 and Papa Roach making rock cool again-the time couldn’t be better for A. “We’ve been A for the past however many years, unashamedly A and almost felt like a square peg in a round hole, especially in the U.K.,” explains Jason at lightning pace. “People would look at us and go, ‘you’re from California.’ And now the climate has come around to our way of thinking and all you see is black hooded tops, just kids into rock music.”

Hi-Fi Serious, however, is definitely THE A album. Produced by Al Clay (Pixies, Therapy?), it ranges from the stomping great metallic riffs of “Shut Yer Face” and “Nothing” (“our little nod to Faith No More,” according to Dan) to the ultra-infectious emo-tinged pop-punk of such tracks as “Pacific Ocean Blue.” A true highlight from Hi-Fi Serious is “Starbucks,” which is not exactly a paean to the corporate multinational coffee provider.

“We had a big discussion on tour about what we’d do if this all ended now, and we were like, we could probably sort something out in the long term, but we’d probably all end up working in McDonald’s or something,” chuckles Dan, “and this ridiculous conversation started, ‘I’d rather work in Burger King’, ‘No, McDonald’s is better than that.’ And it ended up with the ultimate job out of those sort of fast food jobs would be working in Starbucks!”

“Plus it would be good to have someone working in Starbucks who could work the till,” quips Jason.

Having been long-term fans of Van Halen, A have acknowledged that influence most notably on “The Distance,” a track that features searing Eddie styled solos from guitarist Mark Chapman. Mark was reticent about putting the track down, since the rest of the band were eager to finish for the day and get some Belgian beer down. Having finally been persuaded, Mark cranked out the solo of his life, leaving everyone aghast and with scorched air guitar fingers.

Still, when not obsessed with rock or Starbucks, Jason likes to hang out with friends and check out new bands. Or so he thought in Philadelphia when his friend Jimmy Pop (frontman of debauched rock combo and regular A tourmates the Bloodhound Gang), suggested going to see a friend of his play in his band.

“We ended up going to an 80,000 seater football stadium to see ‘N Sync!” enthuses Jason. “This is Joey, this is Justin, this is Chris. Wicked blokes. We’re in the front row and there’s 80,000 12-year-old girls, the Bloodhound Gang and me. We were totally out of place and looked like roadies. Joey’s sister gave me some earplugs, ‘you’re gonna need these Jase’ and I’m like yeah, whatever. ‘No you’re really gonna need them.’ I didn’t put ‘em in, I’m not putting on earplugs at an ‘N Sync show. The lights go off, 80,000 people scream and I’m like SHIIIIT!”

For the past two years A have been on the road constantly, appearing at the Reading and Glastonbury festivals and touring with the likes of Blink 182, the Offspring, Ash, Feeder, Sex Pistols, and Faith No More. Soon they’ll be back on the road in the States, bringing the sounds of their explosive new album to a town near you.

Such ambitiousness leads to one final question - ambitions for Hi-Fi Serious?

“A swimming pool for me!” jokes Jason.