Behind the Video: Thundermother Vocalist Linnéa Vikström Discusses “Dead or Alive”

Locked and loaded, Thundermother is set to head into 2025 with energy and momentum. The band is gearing up for the release of their new album, Dirty & Divine, set for release on February 7th via AFM Records. This will be the follow-up to their 2022 release, Black & Gold. The Swedish quartet view this album as the beginning of a new era. That has a lot to do with the fact that it marks the recording debut of frontwoman Linnea Vikström Egg and drummer Joan Massing. For this album, Thundermother also welcomed back Majsan Lindberg as bassist. You might consider it a back-to-basics album, a definitive representation of the band’s true essence.

Over the last 15 years, Thundermother has always expressed a strong devotion to real, organic hard rock. Through five studio records, they have established themselves as a band that really encapsulates the rock n’ roll spirit. Dirty & Divine is defined by its grit and passion. It feels a lot like an album that would have come out in the 1970s. The guitar riffs are massive, and the melodies are as sharp as a knife. To go along with the album’s release, the band has an extensive European tour geared up for early in the new year.

In the leadup to the release of Dirty & Divine, Thundermother just released the music video for their latest single, “Dead or Alive.” Lead singer Linnéa Vikström joins us today for a Behind the Video interview to discuss the creative process behind the new clip.

Who directed the video?

Linnéa Vikström: “It was directed by the great Daniel Wahlström at Heavy Groove Media.”

Where was it made?

“It was recorded at the Wallenberg mausoleum in Ekerö, Stockholm.”

Did the band have a concept in mind based on the song or was the video creator given full reign to come up with a suitable visual companion?

“The band was always set on it having a ‘scary’ vibe but I’m not sure at what point it was decided to go full-out vampire style (laughs)! I would say it was a joint effort, but I’m not entirely confident in saying that. Daniel was definitely in charge, though! We had an amazing time with him.”

Thundermother “Dead or Alive” bts, photo courtesy Thundermother

What was your favourite part behind the creation of the video?

“We got together before we shot the video to do makeup and put on our costumes, and we had a really great time together. After filming for a while, the sun had set, and it was so cool seeing my bandmates walk around like creatures of the dark!”

Was there anything during the making of this (or any other) music video that happened unexpectedly, or you were surprised to learn?

“I learned a lot about makeup as I’m seeing a bunch of errors that I did on the finished video, so I learned that I have to retouch the makeup after seeing how it looks on camera!”

What are some of your favourite music videos? What about when you were growing up?

“The first that comes to mind is ‘I Want To Break Free’ by Queen. It’s so much fun and really enhances the lyrical theme of the song. I also remember the Gorillaz videos from growing up, and I always found them really cool. I’m a big fan of animation.”

Thundermother “Dead or Alive” album artwork

What should a music video set out to accomplish?

“I would say that vibe comes before story, at least in the times we’re living in now. It adds a visual context to the audio and can enhance the song or add another dimension to the lyrics. For example, ‘Dead or Alive’ isn’t actually about vampires, but vampires are a great representation of the song’s lyrical theme. That’s my artistic view, but of course, there’s a boring marketing side that can’t be ignored.

“It needs to be eye-catching in the feeds on our phones and try to grab as much attention as possible with just a few frames. The marketing aspect can really drag down the artistic intention, so for me, personally, it’s important to not forget why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

Based on how this one was made, are you looking forward to doing another?

“Both yes and no, (laughs)! There’s a lot of waiting involved in making videos, and that’s not my favourite part of life, but on the other hand, it’s usually such a great feeling of accomplishment when it’s done! Both the filming and the production.”

Thundermother “Dead or Alive” bts, photo courtesy Thundermother