12:30 in the morning, you've been drinking entirely too many Kratom teas, and have been introduced to too many people to count. The show's been going since 8:00. Bands have played, dancers have danced, drag queens have diva-ed. Now, the last act of the night: a band called WormWorld. Raw, energetic traditional punk—the kind of music you can't help but move to. And just like that, all the energy comes rushing back. The bodies hit the floor. Fat bodies, thin bodies, tattooed bodies, disabled bodies, femme bodies, masc bodies, shirtless wonders, bald headed baddies, djinns, vampires—other assorted ghouls and of course, the dipshits who snuck booze into the venue—all moving like marionettes, their punk puppet masters jerking them to the same riotous riffs. The energy from the night, from earlier in the day, from rushing to get here—it all surges up like a coke nail in those final moments of the show.
On the last track, the very last song, the explicitly anti-genocide track "Terror Dome", they shout: "Free Gaza, free Palestine. This one's for all our brothers and sisters in Palestine." Then the riffs kick in, pure energy. Pure energy. Because you came for the show, but you checked your phone. Maybe you stepped outside for a smoke, scrolled Tiktok, tapped through your feed and there it is, the reminder. Yeah, there's a genocide happening while you were dancing. There's a genocide happening. Right now. While you're drenched in sweat and lust and bad decisions. And that's why, when the singer screams "This is for Palestine!", the energy hits harder. That's the solidarity.
I fucked with WormWorld heavy, and their sound was killer, loved their message. The venue is closing, the exhaustion is setting in, it's not the most optimal time, but knew I had to get the word out on this band. So as they're packing up—loading drums, breaking down gear—I manage to grab the lead singer of WormWorld for a quick, off-the-cuff interview. We talk counterculture, the harsh reality we live in.
HOUDINI MAGAZINE— WORMWORLD INTERVIEW
[1. ON KNEEPCAP'S ARREST]
HOUDINI: So there's a band called KNEECAP, that's been fairly talked about among our audience. One of their members just got arrested for basically doing what you just did—saying "Free Palestine, Free Gaza.", they use their shows to bring awareness. Counter-Terrorism Unit in Britain took them down, arrested the band member. What do you think about that?
WORMWORLD: I think that's fucked up. You know, I don't think anyone should be arresting you for saying what you stand up for. The same way that anybody can say any fucking stupid racist ass bullshit in today's political climate, I think you should be able to say the fucking opposite of that.
HOUDINI: Yeah, exactly.
WORMWORLD: So I think it's super fucked up that they're gonna arrest anybody for infringing on their fucking free speech.
HOUDINI: Right, right.
[2. ON COUNTERCULTURE]
HOUDINI: Now how do you feel about the counterculture today? Do you think it's kind of passive? Should it be more radical?
WORMWORLD: I think it depends on how you see counterculture. A lot of people see it as going against anything that makes anybody feel comfortable—AKA kind of like how the right wing's been doing "counterculture." They're like, "Oh shit, we're counterculture," and I'm like—that's not counterculture, motherfucker. You're just proving our point.
HOUDINI: Yeah, I felt that.
WORMWORLD: I think counterculture should be more like going against the grain of hate, you know? Not going toward hate.
HOUDINI: If their culture is this capitalist imperialism, then the counterculture should be against that.
WORMWORLD: Exactly.
[3. ON CREATING SPACE]
HOUDINI: The last question is—how do you feel about spaces like this and their importance? Getting the word out about this genocide, this event that's happening?
WORMWORLD: I think it's super important. A lot of people are just not informed. They don't do their own research on stupid bullshit. They'll fucking support whoever their favorite political leader is, without thinking about the fact that maybe all political leaders are kind of going toward the same thing—just getting the most capital possible in the end.
HOUDINI: Right.
WORMWORLD: And I think a lot of people should do your own research and figure out what else there is other than what they're fed
HOUDINI: That's true. That's true. And that's really all I had to ask you! Thanks for the interview!
STREAM WORMWORLD'S NEWEST SINGLE NOW
Terror Dome was one of WormWorld's first songs written together. It was written in response to the violence and oppression that is being imposed onto the Palestinian people, and unfortunately as time goes on it remains and grows in social relevance.
Terror Dome is an unapologetic outcry against the violence and genocide perpetrated by the Israeli Government against the people of Palestine. This song serves as a wakeup call for those refusing to open their eyes to genocides occurring around the world, and serves as a vessel for WormWorld to condemn violence and oppression beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Terror Dome was written merely a year into becoming a band, when Richard, our guitarist and vocalist, came to us with the lyrics, and asked Oskar, our other vocalist and bassist, to play "a bassline Rage Against the Machine would play". Terror Dome was such a fun song to work on and it was one of the most pivotal moments in the band as the song materialized so naturally. Almost as if it had always been there, simply waiting to be uncovered and performed.
The song largely has remained unchanged since its debut, however it seems to grow in power and energy during every performance. It is a blatant lens into our inspirations as a band, both musically and politically.
We hope that Terror Dome resonates with each listener, and inspires people and musicians all over to take a stand for what they believe in, and to stand against genocide and with Palestine.
Free Palestine
Free Gaza
-WormWorld