ABOUT

Brief bio

Mothertomb emerged from the deep woods of Northern Michigan in 2025, forging a sound that is equal parts crushing weight and haunting atmosphere. Rooted in traditional doom metal yet unbound by convention, the band's sound explores a broad spectrum of influences, from the hypnotic haze of heavy psych and stoner metal to the aggression of sludge metal and the dynamic complexity of progressive and groove metal. For fans of: Windhand, Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Candlemass, and Acid King. 

Extended bio

Originally meeting in 2023 and discovering a mutual passion for playing heavy music, Chance Gawlinski (guitar) and Mike Benitez (percussion) decided to jam on a whim. Growing up on classic rock radio and inspired from the screeching hard-rock guitars of Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, and Grand Funk Railroad, fused with the slow, heavy tones of Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, and Type O Negative, helped serve as the foundation for Chance's style and approach to riffing and songwriting. This traditional doom / heavy blues guitar style combined with Mike's progressive metal background, drawing percussion influences from Tool, Between the Buried and Me, and System of A Down, brought a unique and unconventional dynamic to the presence and power within the songs; not being afraid to step out of the box and challenge the norm of what drumming in this specific genre can be. 

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Feeling inspired and motivated from the musical chemistry, that single jam session would then lead to consistent, weekly jam sessions for the next year. Eventually, this would manifest the addition of Welsh-native, Alice Gawlinski (vocals), bringing her diverse vocal range of sensual, melodic, and baritone drones, to commanding snarls, and even aggressive gutturals. Alice draws vocal inspiration from the likes of Pentagram, Candlemass, Mazzy Star, and Obituary. Lastly, the final and most crucial addition to the band came in the form of the thunderous low end of Alton Minor (bass/engineer). Drawing from a similar background in doom/stoner/progressive metal and citing primary influences from Deftones, A Perfect Circle, and Queens of the Stoned Age, Alton's eclectic and intuitive approach to bass provided the final piece of the puzzle. With the right people and talent in place, this manifestation would become fully self-actualized in 2025 as Mothertomb.  

Why "Mothertomb"? Although the band had been together for the better part of the year, we still struggled in finding our name to identify our sound and image. In April 2025, Northern Michigan was hit with one of the worst ice storms recorded in the last 100 years — so much so, that it destroyed all power grids in the region and left 145,000 people (including us) without power in below freezing temperatures for several weeks, resulting in a national state of emergency. In witnessing this natural self-destruction of our forests, trees, and wildlife, we saw the polarization of beauty and despair intertwined and encased in inches of ice. It was both mystical and horrifying. It felt like Mother Nature had created her own tomb. And thus, with that thought came the name… Mothertomb - a duality of the light and dark that represents the human condition and inspires our sound.​

With a name established for their identity, Mothertomb independently recorded, mixed, mastered, and released their debut single, "Beware" in October 2025. Although being new to the scene, various press and online outlets in the Doom Metal / Doom Chart communities quickly took notice, praising the song for its creative combination of Doom/Stoner riffage mixed with Psychedelic and Goth Rock atmosphere. The song quickly gained strong, organic traction leaving new fans asking for more. ​Following up on "Beware", and to help further promote their upcoming debut album, Mothertomb released its second single, "Mountain Hag" in January 2026. While still maintaining their signature Doom/Stoner Metal sound, "Mountain Hag" also pushed the band into another territory, exploring and celebrating their deep appreciation for prog through various time signatures, tempo changes, and concept-driven lyrics, resulting in a nearly 10-minute epic. Although there was a major leap in its musical direction compared to "Beware", "Mountain Hag" was equally welcomed and embraced by fans as they awaited the debut album, Dying to Live.​

After just providing direct support for Doom Metal pioneers, PENTAGRAM, the debut album Dying to Live released on July 14th, 2026, and exploded onto the scene with immediate recognition and praise, ultimately landing at #5 on the July 2026 Doom Charts and the opportunity to provide direct support for MESSA.

The album explores themes of transformation, suffering, transcendence, and the timeless struggle between darkness and light. Drawing inspiration from Welsh folklore and the shadowed corners of the human psyche, the songs traverse landscapes inhabited by ancient spirits, inner demons, and the forces that shape the human condition. 

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The album unfolds through layers of metaphor, allegory, and introspection, inviting listeners into a world where darkness and illumination coexist. From brutal heaviness to moments of eerie beauty, Dying to Live is a journey through the depths of the human experience.

Created entirely as an independent DIY effort, the album was written, recorded, produced/engineered, and artistically directed by the band itself. Dying to Live stands as a testament to that labor of love, and we are honored to share it with the world.