Vintersorg and Fission fans will recognize members of TME since the Swedish thrash band contains guitarist Mattias Marklund (of the former) and drummer Benny Hägglund (of the latter). Thus, it was never a question of whether Worlds Collide would be good or bad, but how good.

At times TME venture into melodeath turf, but no matter the style, Worlds Collide is an aggressive piece of work that gets the blood flowing, fist pumping, and head banging more than the members’ other projects. “The Worlds Collide” is a thunderous opener that kicks into gear once Stenlund shouts “Go!” – as in “TME” – though the riffs arguably assume center stage while raspy, thrash shouts further assault the senses. “Flesh and Blood” has a distinct retro vibe that is due in part to the razor-sharp riffing, which the nimble yet steady drumming supports in true, rhythmical backbone fashion. Those of you who wished Fission’s Crater was rougher and meaner will find solace here. And yes, guitar leads can be found scattered throughout while the musicianship remains as tight as ever. Essentially, all these songs – the rest being “Blank Infinity,” “Mankind’s Last Cleansing,” “Away from Decay,” “Piece by Piece,” “Face the Fist,” “Hell Incarnated,” and “Superiour” – make for an album that rarely lets up, but, rather, continues pounding away until the 35-minute mark or thereabouts. So, in other words, Worlds Collide avoids overstaying its welcome.

If getting down to brass tacks, TME’s debut isn’t a thrashterpiece simply because there’s a “been there, done that” feel to the material that is impossible to ignore. Plus the cover art just plain sucks. However, and perhaps most importantly, Worlds Collide is fun, energetic, and endearing in its sincerity. Sometimes that's enough.