The song "Colony of Birchmen" from the band's third album (released in 2006), Blood Mountain, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2007. Blood Mountain was followed in 2009 by Crack the Skye, and in 2011 by The Hunter, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and achieved major commercial success in the United States. The Hunter features the song "Curl of the Burl", which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 2012. Mastodon's 2014 album, Once More 'Round the Sun, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and features the band's third Grammy-nominated song, "High Road". The band's seventh album, Emperor of Sand, was released on March 31, 2017, and features the band's most commercially successful song to date, "Show Yourself", which peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in June 2017. The followup single, "Steambreather", peaked at number 18 on the same chart in October 2017. The album's opening track, "Sultan's Curse", earned the band their first Grammy award. Emperor of Sand was the band's first album to receive a Grammy nomination; it was nominated for Best Rock Album.
Mastodon was formed on January 13, 2000, after drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher moved to Atlanta from Victor, New York, and met bassist/singer Troy Sanders and guitarist/singer Brent Hinds at a High on Fire show. They discovered they had a mutual appreciation of sludge metal bands Melvins and Neurosis, heavy metal legends Iron Maiden, and 1970s hard rockers Thin Lizzy, and shortly thereafter formed Mastodon. In an interview in 2009, Kelliher revealed that the first time Hinds attended a practice with the band, he "showed up so wasted he couldn't play".
The band recorded a demo in 2000, which featured Eric Saner on vocals. Saner left the band for personal reasons after just a couple of months. After recording a four-song demo and a 7-inch picture disc through Reptilian Records, Mastodon landed a record deal with Relapse Records in 2001. Mastodon released the EP Lifesblood in 2001, and its first full-length album, Remission, in 2002, with the singles "March of the Fire Ants" and "Crusher/Destroyer" (which was also featured on Tony Hawk's Underground). On each of Mastodon's first three full-length albums, the last track was an instrumental composition with a title that related to the Elephant Man.
Artist Paul Romano was responsible for all of the band's album art and backdrops up to 2011. The artwork for the band's fifth studio album The Hunter was made by AJ Fosik, a woodcarver who was also responsible for the backdrop the band used live at the time. Oakland-based artist Skinner, who, in his own words, specializes in "psychedelic nightmare paintings", has taken the reins on Once More 'Round the Sun. "It's going to be a work of art for sure. It's going to be very eye-opening", said bassist Troy Sanders before the album's release. "Very striking. It's from another dimension, and a lot of our music is geared toward that idea—taking you to another planet on songs. It's out there, and I think it's incredible."
Studio albums
Remission (2002)
Leviathan (2004)
Blood Mountain (2006)
Crack the Skye (2009)
The Hunter (2011)
Once More 'Round the Sun (2014)
Emperor of Sand (2017)
Hushed and Grim (2021)
EPs
Lifesblood (2001)
Cold Dark Place (2017)
Capillarian Crest
Mastodon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Capillarian gone away
It's a shattered wave
Cosmogenic cycles
Universal dreams
The unseen essence
Twelve years of silence
Frivolous the moments
Shake the hand of lightning
Capillarian carnate
Capillarian carnate
You don't have to go
Escaping from the long way
You can't leave us here all alone
Carve
Carve out your soul
Lay it on the altar
And leave us here all alone
This river's running violent
No way to catch our breath
Rising from the mercury
We will climb to bestow our trust
Take away the anchor
Amplify the mystery
Inhale the earth and wind
Map out the plans to our test
The lyrics to Mastodon's song Capillarian Crest seem to be a mix of different themes, from cosmic cycles and dreams to the physical and tangible ("capillarian carnate"). The repetition of "capillarian gone away" suggests a loss or departure of something vital. The lyrics urge the listener to take action, to carve out their soul and lay it on the altar, suggesting that there is something to be gained from this sacrifice. The line "shake the hand of lightning" is particularly intriguing, implying both a sense of awe and reverence for a higher power but also a willingness to engage with it actively.
The lyrics continue to explore the idea of overcoming obstacles and facing the unknown, with references to a violent river and rising mercury. The idea of inhaling the "earth and wind" suggests an openness to new experiences and a willingness to be transformed. Ultimately, the song seems to be about the power of transformation, whether it's through sacrifice or overcoming adversity, and the importance of facing challenges head-on rather than simply escaping from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Capillarian gone away
The Capillarian has disappeared
Capillarian gone away
The Capillarian has vanished
It's a shattered wave
Something has broken, a wave has shattered
Cosmogenic cycles
Cycles that relate to the universe
Universal dreams
Dreams that are shared by everyone
The unseen essence
The essence that cannot be seen
Energies refreshed
Energy has been rejuvenated
Twelve years of silence
Twelve years of quietness
Frivolous the moments
Moments that were not serious or important
Shake the hand of lightning
To come in contact with something powerful, like lightning
Capillarian carnate
Capillarian has returned in physical form
Capillarian carnate
Capillarian has come back in body
You don't have to go
There's no need to leave
Escaping from the long way
Trying to avoid a long path or journey
You can't leave us here all alone
Don't abandon us, leave us behind
Carve
Carve something out
Carve out your soul
Take your soul out of your body
Lay it on the altar
Place it on an altar
And leave us here all alone
And abandon us here, leave us behind
This river's running violent
The river is moving quickly and powerfully
No way to catch our breath
We cannot stop and take a break or rest
Rising from the mercury
Emerging from something unstable or volatile
We will climb to bestow our trust
We'll make an effort to give trust to someone
Take away the anchor
Remove the thing that is holding you back
Amplify the mystery
Make the unknown more intense
Inhale the earth and wind
Breathe in the natural elements
Map out the plans to our test
Plan out our next challenge or trial
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TROY JAYSON SANDERS, BRENT HINDS, BRANN TIMOTHY DAILOR, WILLIAM BREEN KELLIHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Knoxxꪜi𝔓er
Goodness, the drumming is 10/10. I know nothing about its technicalities, but they sound so demanding and musically impressive.
Tyler
It's not just the drumming. Which is absolutely out of this world, don't get me wrong. Brann is one of the most talented drummers in the world. Him and John Stanier from the band Battles are my favorite modern drummers. Anyway, this song is also one of the best examples of guitar players playing off of one another All at very fast speeds and varying tempos. This song is one of their masterpieces. This song, The Last Baron, Hearts Alive, Blood and Thunder, Aqua Dementia, Pendulous Skin, Sleeping Giant, Ol' Nessie, March of the Fire Ants, Curl of the Burl, Blasteroid, Asleep In The Deep. They have other master class songs. But those are their best songs in my opinion.
Knoxxꪜi𝔓er
@TylerYes, now I'm able to appreciate the other elements as well. Thanks for your comment.
Elliott Michaels
Yes, the instrumental work is excellent, but the vocals need a lot of work!
oulucario
Been drumming a long time he is one of the best really unique stuff
Matt Carver
Easily some of the best drumming ever recorded. If i had a time machine i would just go back to watch Brann Dailor play this in the studio.
The McRib
After listening to this song I came to the realization that I had grown a massive burly beard and was surrounded by a pack of wolves. This song is amazing
02SplinterCell02
I'd kill for a tour with Mastadon, Meshuggah, Tool, and Dream Theater for the drumming alone
Bald Dave Grohl
dont forget gojira
Sunbird Octo.
@Bald Dave Grohl Lmfao bald dave grohl