Henrik Norén has been involved in Swedish underground music for years, playing in bands including Switchblade, Last Days of April, Your Halo Is a Radar, and Black Convoy. His latest outlet, however, requires no bandmates at all.
11’s is a solo project that finds Norén handling every instrument and vocals himself, moving between hardcore punk and powerviolence while pulling inspiration from everything from Capitalist Casualties and Poison Idea to Darkthrone, Anti Cimex, and Entombed. Sounds like the lineup for a killer mixtape, but I digress.
After two quick releases, Bedtime for Ambition and PACT, Norén recently returned with Terra Nostra, a 12-song tape released through California's Pretty Good Records. Recorded at his own Svart Hamn studio and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, the record turns its attention toward the stranger and uglier sides of rural Skåne in southern Sweden.
I caught up with Norén to talk about starting 11’s, recording an entire hardcore record by himself, the inspiration behind Terra Nostra, and what else is happening in Swedish hardcore right now.
What initially pushed you to start a solo project?
It started after we had released the Roadwork LP with Black Convoy, where I play drums. I was making new songs and felt they were steering in a direction that didn’t quite suit what Black Convoy is about. We also live spread out across Sweden, so getting together is a bit of a hassle.
I took a break and focused on an electronic/ambient project. Winter came in 2025/26, and I felt I needed something more hands-on and direct. I have a recording studio called Svart Hamn, and the drums and guitar/bass amps are always mic’d up and ready to go.
So I recorded and mixed four songs over a weekend, created a Bandcamp site, reused the name 11’s from a short-lived band I was in up in Stockholm (then spelled Elevens), from the Mel Brooks film Life Stinks, and released Bedtime for Ambition between Christmas and New Year’s. Very simple, straightforward hardcore punk/powerviolence.
I made another recording pretty shortly after, resulting in a release called PACT.
At the same time, James from Pretty Good Records put out the mighty Kimbo Slice tape and VHS. I don’t remember how, but we got to talking about him releasing an 11’s tape, which is where we are now.
How would you describe the 11’s sound? What bands or scenes have been especially influential?
I really just try to make hardcore the way I like it. But to give a few references, I would say it sounds like “that other powerviolence,” not caveman, Crossed Out-esque stuff that seems to have shaped what it is today, but more Capitalist Casualties and Hellnation, mixed with Poison Idea and a little bit of Transilvanian Hunger-era Darkthrone. Something like that [laughs]!
The old powerviolence, black metal, and crust scenes are always a source of inspiration. Lots of Swedish bands, too, like Anti Cimex, Entombed, and Skitsystem, alongside old indie like Swervedriver, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, and Afghan Whigs. I’m a sucker for melodies.
The first 11’s song I made, I really wanted to sound like “This Fight’s Not Over” by Low Threat Profile. Andy Beattie is a vocal genius!
Tell us about Terra Nostra. What was behind this batch of songs?
Terra Nostra is a 12-song tape released on California label Pretty Good Records. Once again, it was recorded in my studio, Svart Hamn. This time, however, I let it take more time and treated it more like a “real” recording. I play everything, do vocals, and mixed it. Then Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios did a great job mastering it.
The themes for all 11’s songs have been my reflections on where I am and what I see around me. Where the first two releases dealt with more personal, darker themes, Terra Nostra is really reflecting on the not-so-pretty side of the rural countryside where I live. From fucked-up shit like neo-anthroposophists locking up their kids to pretty funny things like masked gangs stealing lawn mowers. Plus a little tale from the suburb north of Stockholm where I’m from.
Musically, I wanted it to be short, straightforward, no-fuss hardcore punk.
You mentioned that there isn't really a scene where you live. What's happening elsewhere in Sweden that people should know about?
Yes, where I live, there is no scene, although Melt-Banana played in an old garage nearby a few years ago. Shout out to Back to Back, though, a Youth Crew band that is from here.
Malmö is pretty close, and that scene is always thriving. A very diverse and fun scene with Hårda Tider, Hard Pass, Larma, and Slöa Knivar. Definitely check out Hard Pass if you haven’t heard them. Brutal! Also, a new young band called Godless from Helsingborg that is really cool.
I really like Bulls Shitt from Gothenburg, but there’s a lot of rad stuff coming out of Sweden now, like Sidestep, Modern Guilt, Outstand, Speedway, Vidro, Alarm!, Gorma... I could go on.
READ MORE: A Look Back at European Straight Edge Hardcore in the ‘90s
What's next for 11’s? Do you see it remaining primarily a recording project, or could we eventually see you playing these songs live?
I’m always making or thinking of new music for both 11’s and my electronic project LAB ALMA, so check out my studio Svart Hamn’s Bandcamp site for updates. Maybe some shows if I can get the usual suspects to back me up live.
There are also new song ideas for new Black Convoy material. Apart from that, I’m recording and/or mixing other artists.
Check out the other artists on Pretty Good Records, where you can also buy the tape. Really stoked to be a part of that family with bands like Banana Clip, Zabogart, and GoodyxJames, who makes anarcho beats that sound like a bad trip... in a good way.
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Terra Nostra is available on cassette via Pretty Good Records.
Svart Hamn on social media: Instagram
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