TME

Fledgling Washington State thrash label Aphotic Records has opened its doors with a reliable, meat and potatoes effort from Sweden's TME called "Worlds Collide". The thrash/death metal act (more on the thrash side) is a sure bet to appeal to fans of a bashing Swedish style with roots in the old school and just enough modern sensibility to go with the band's straight-ahead approach. That the act sounds like a veteran unit is not surprising considering that it includes members that have been around the block a few times, namely guitarist Mattias Marklund (VINTERSORG),drummer Benny Hagglund (FISSION, VINTERSORG),and bassist Johan Lindgren (VINTERSORG).

The sound of "Worlds Collide" is tough and taught. The crisp guitars and drums, as well as the sharp and aggressive vocals of guitarist Andreas Stenlund, sound great. Rather, than a ho-hum exercise that ends up killing the attention span halfway through, the 10 songs here are to the point and in your face. There really is not much time to get bored with it. The whole affair moves along at a brisk pace with super crunchy riffs, intermittent blasts, and a whole lot of up-tempo and choppy rhythms. "Away from Decay" is probably the most apt example of TME's battering ram approach, led by strong licks, a bit of Kirk Hammett style soloing, and a catchy, fist-pumping refrain. Much of the rest hits in a similarly satisfying manner, album opener "The Worlds Collide" and "Mankinds Last Cleansing", the latter breaking into a vaguely folk-like rhythm at one point to grand effect, are two good examples.

"Worlds Collide" is meant for the unassuming fan of no-nonsense Swedish thrash/death that while not destined to set the world on fire gets the job done with results that are easily better than average. Those folks looking for a quick fix that is unlikely to disappoint are advised to check it out.