Doom metal band Mothertomb released their debut album, “Dying To Live,” in mid-July. The album revealed a talented band capable of creating music at this early stage of their career that sounds like the work of a seasoned band. We had the chance to talk with Alice Gawlinski, vocalist of Mothertomb, and ask her about the feelings she’s having after releasing this debut, the independent approach Mothertomb followed throughout the process, and other interesting things.

Read the review of Mothertomb – “Dying To Live”

Reuel

Hello Alice! I’m very happy to chat with you. How are you doing?

Alice Gawlinski

Hello! Thank you so much for the opportunity to do this interview! I’m doing very well, thank you.

Reuel

It’s been a couple of months since Dying to Live was released. Given how personal the album’s themes are, how has it felt seeing fans connect with your debut album?

Alice Gawlinski

I definitely felt a sense of vulnerability and a feeling of being exposed when it was first released. It was both exciting and nerve-wracking. Although the themes aren’t terribly literal for the most part, many parts of our songs feel quite intimate to me. It really moves me to see people truly enjoying and connecting with our music. It still feels surreal that people really do. It means a lot to each of us.

Reuel

They say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, but Dying to Live’s cover art, also done by you, captures the album’s spirit perfectly. At what point in the songwriting process did that visual image start taking shape for you?

Alice Gawlinski

Thank you so much! I conjured up this image at the very end of our recording process. I had some ideas floating around in my head, but nothing concrete. When it came time to craft the cover, I allowed an innate intuition to guide what imagery felt right. Ultimately, all I knew was that I wanted it to depict a woman who is on a journey. I wanted the imagery to reflect different elements of that journey, while also being surreal and even beautiful. Hopefully, I have achieved that!

Reuel

Releasing your debut album is no doubt a huge milestone for any musician, but it’s also challenging. What was your favorite and least favorite part of working with your bandmates on Dying to Live?

Alice Gawlinski

My favorite part of this whole process was truly the experience of the shared excitement we each had throughout various stages of creating the album. That feeling, when something really starts to come together, and you all know it and feel this collective magic… it’s amazing! I think we each grew as individuals and musicians throughout the process, too. Our friendships certainly deepened.

As with all endeavors like this, the process also comes with challenges. The most difficult part for me was facing my lack of confidence in some areas and battling perfectionism. I have come a long way since completing the album, but the process really exposed some challenges I had with negative self-perception and fear of being ‘seen’. Ultimately, though, those difficulties have resulted in much emotional growth, and so I am thankful for that.

Reuel

If all the tracks on Dying to Live came to life and became real people, which one of these songs would be your best friend?

Alice Gawlinski

I love this question! Definitely the title track, Dying to Live. Although it explores themes of suicidality (and the ending is ultimately ambiguous…), there are many themes of empowerment in there too – about choosing to live in spite of suicidal feelings. To me, it embodies psychological strength and resilience. I think I’d enjoy those qualities in a best pal!

Reuel

Brilliant! If someone has never heard Mothertomb before, which single track from Dying to Live do you tell them to play first?

Alice Gawlinski

Well, my personal favorite is Cythraul… so, that one! I think it combines our varying styles well in one track.

Reuel

What musicians can you credit as the ones who inspired you, personally, in your life or career as a musician?

Alice Gawlinski

Ahh there are so many! I am inspired by musicians of varying genres for various reasons. In terms of helping inspire me to put myself out there as a vocalist specifically, listening to other female vocalists of doom/heavier bands was critical to squashing the ‘I can’t do that’ mentality I had before. Special mentions include Dorthia Cottrell of Windhand, Sara Bianchin of Messa, and Pardis Latifi of Daevar.

Reuel

Mothertomb handled everything on Dying to Live entirely in-house. Meanwhile, people are using AI to say hello to each other. What dangers does AI pose to musicians in particular, and what do you think needs to be done to counter it?

Alice Gawlinski

In all honesty, it’s quite terrifying to me. I try to have faith and hope that the creativity of the human spirit will persevere, and I know that the organic nature of humanity can never be truly replicated… but it’s scary as hell! All we can do is keep creating and support others who do the same, so we can keep the art alive.

Reuel

Thank you for your time, Alice! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Alice Gawlinski

Nothing besides thank you! 🙂