World Condemned is a new metallic hardcore band from Sweden, featuring members of Mass Worship, Sharp Tongues, and Anchor. "The band officially formed in early 2025, but from what I’ve heard, Johan’s riff bank goes all the way back to 2008," said vocalist Claes Nordin from the quartet in an email. He also explained that he met Johan and CM [Carl Häger] from the band over a decade ago. "At that point, I wasn’t even involved in the band scene yet, while Johan and CM were already playing in a pretty solid metallic hardcore band.
"Fast forward 25+ years, and we finally felt it was time to close the circle and start a band together, as CM put it. Jonatan (drums) filled in for a few shows with my other band, Mass Worship. After that, we worked together on a d-beat project and a few other things. So, it felt natural to ask him to join, especially since he’s not only a great fun guy to be around, but also plays drums like a fucking machine."
World Condemned's sound is politically charged and draws inspiration from late-’90s Gothenburg hardcore and the U.S. East Coast scene. "Growing up in Gothenburg, that scene was, of course, a huge influence on us," said Claes and Jonatan via email. "As kids, we were into all kinds of obscure underground music — and that’s still true today. Lyrically, it’s a straight-up petrol bomb thrown in the face of power — if we’re being diplomatic about it."
The band's debut EP, Indiscriminate Violence, was recorded at Studio Fredman, the same space where classic releases from the likes of At the Gates, Opeth, and In Flames were birthed from.
World Condemned's first single from Indiscriminate Violence, "90 Seconds," which features Karl Buechner of Earth Crisis, is out now, and the full EP will be released this week:
I asked Claes about linking up with Karl for the track. "I was somewhat taking care of Earth Crisis when they wrapped up their last European tour in Sweden. We had dinner and ended up talking about the nuclear plants in Syracuse, 'Cease to Exist' from [Earth Crisis album] Gomorrah’s Season Ends, and all the apocalyptic stuff that surrounds. We had a prerecording done of '90 Seconds,' which very much is within the same realm.
"After the tour, Karl stayed in Sweden for a couple of days and it felt natural to ask him to contribute to the song. It’s of course a great honor for us to have him on the EP, especially as it happened so naturally. About the song itself, I’m old enough to remember fragments from the time after the Chernobyl disaster — my mom telling me we couldn’t eat berries or mushrooms from the forest because nuclear rain had fallen over Sweden’s east coast in 1986."
"The title '90 Seconds' references the Doomsday Clock, maintained by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. When the song was written, the clock stood at 90 seconds to midnight — symbolizing humanity’s proximity to self-destruction. It has since been moved to 89 seconds, reflecting the ongoing escalation of chaos and suffering around the globe. Occupations, genocidal wars, climate collapse, reckless tech, and all the looming catastrophes of the 2020s."
Since I've never been to Sweden before, I also asked Claes and Jonatan about some of the misconceptions people have about their country. I found the information very interesting:
- “All Swedes are extremely eco-friendly"
"Many are environmentally aware, but lifestyles and consumption vary a lot, so much so that the statement simply becomes false. “Swedes are cold and unfriendly”. Swedes are often reserved at first, but that isn’t to be taken as being cold, it’s rather the opposite. We have respect for other people’s personal space. Once you become friends, they are some of the most loyal friends you could get."
- “Sweden is a socialist utopia”
"It’s not. It’s a capitalist country that has slowly been eroded with privatization. The myth of the flawless welfare model hides the rising gaps between the rich and poor."
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The Indiscriminate Violence EP will hit streaming outlets on November 7th.
World Condemned on social media: Instagram
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