On Friday October 30, 3030 INCINERY released their second full length album "Hollow Earth Theory";  this is their first release since 2014's "Dead, Bound and Buried". This release bears a subtle message - borrowing traditional thrash styles - but adding unique touches of individuality.   As much as this writer enjoys thrash - INCINERY through "Hollow Earth Theory" allows the lower (distorted) guitar strings through the rhythm track to resonate, not that they won't mute strings with palms for moments of occasional thrash, but they do not utilize this technique for the majority of every song.  This compliments the songwriters, the musical performance, and the recording / production team.  Other subtle notions of individuality are prevalent through this release as well.

The album opens with "Hollow Earth" - and nearly one minute of pure thrash ensues before the song traditionally develops into a standard verse / chorus structure    The guitar solos are wonderful.   New melodies are as likely to begin on weak beats as there are on downbeats, and this to me is new in the realm of heavy metal–and a  welcome change. "The Less Dead", the fourth track, has a lovely allusion to the title track "Fabulous Disaster" by EXODUS in the melodic length of the verse.   I absolutely love this token of respect.

"Forgotten One"- the fourth album track - opens with an overwhelmingly fast, "in your face thrash," Ste Dudley drum fill.   This fill is accompanied by a guitar riff that develops into the remaining song.   There is extensive musical value within this release.  Before the guitar solo - the band slows - and simply walks along a melodic & metallic grove for a moment.   The solos are new and inventive–still they are short yet sweet. "Carrion King" opens a bit faster.   The main lyrical theme of this tune delivered by James rawlings is "take me to hell" - which opens to the guitar solo.  Leads are blistering and perfectly stylistic–with shorter, yet recurring solos.  I love how the guitars resound with open fourths & fifths through this song.

"Ellison" - the sixth tack opens with about thirty seconds of clean guitars - until distortion is added.   I love the distortion used for the guitar sound in this recording - which I'd describe as "chain saws ripping through the fortified body of an army tank"- which music to this metal head ears.   This song, bears a common quality found throughout the album, that is replete with tempo changes–and is always interesting.   There is plenty of "string-ring" (rather than mere muted rhythm guitar strumming–all too common in thrash)" a gift  for those of who rarely have the pleasure of hearing a thoroughly distorted guitar resonate.

"Falling into the Sky" opens with an abbreviated & punctuated riff–including that which this writer is pleased to acknowledge, rests!   The song opens with two beats of guitar melody then two beats of rests.    Oh my - the guitar solos - fresh and new;  I love them.  Absolute mastery. Just after two minutes and forty seconds into "As Above So Below", the seventh album track, the guitars open into an interesting riff that announces the solos - with "tapping on the D string" together with quick pull-offs - all of which is through the rhythm guitar track.       Nicely done.

At about one minute forty seconds into "Sorrow of the Last", the album's ninth track, the rhythm guitar's riff format moves into a "vertical" design - almost like double stops on a violin, viola, cello or double bass - reminiscent of "Funeral March" just after the final guitar solos by EXODUS, (readers who have whistled and hummed simultaneously will feel nostalgia).   I love the harmonic voice leading - heard most enjoyably through the guitars amidst this metal tune!

I have great hope for this band by its ability to regenerate traditions of the past–more often than not, improving them, with subtler notions of individuality.