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)
Mother Puncher
Mastodon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
These things you'll never be
Taste your fate
All that you'll ever be
A life love unconditional
A life love
Love unconditional
Chase 'em down string 'em up
Hate
Hate the ones who bring you down
Chase
Chase 'em down string 'em up
Hate
Hate the ones who bring you down
Chase
Chase 'em down string 'em up
Hate
Hate the ones who bring you down
The lyrics to Mastodon's song "Mother Puncher" are open to interpretation, but one possible interpretation is that the lyrics are about self-improvement and growth. The first two lines, "Change stand grow / These things you'll never be," suggest that the singer is encouraging someone to make changes and grow as a person. The lines "Taste your fate / All that you'll ever be" could mean that the singer is urging the person to accept their fate but also strive for something more.
The next four lines, "A life love unconditional / A life love / Love unconditional," could be interpreted as the ultimate goal of this self-improvement and growth: to have a life full of unconditional love. The repetition of the phrase "Chase / Chase 'em down string 'em up / Hate / Hate the ones who bring you down" could be seen as the singer encouraging the person to actively pursue their goals and to eliminate any obstacles or negative influences that may be holding them back.
Overall, the lyrics to "Mother Puncher" could be seen as a call to action for self-improvement and growth, with a focus on the importance of unconditional love and the elimination of negativity.
Line by Line Meaning
Change stand grow
You must transform, take firm stance, and evolve.
These things you'll never be
You'll never be stagnant, complacent, or unchanged.
Taste your fate
Experience and accept your destiny.
All that you'll ever be
Your potential is limitless, and you should always strive to achieve greater things.
A life love unconditional
Live a life full of love, with no conditions attached.
A life love
Love is an integral part of life and should be embraced and cherished.
Love unconditional
Love without boundaries, limitations, or hesitation.
Chase
Pursue your goals and desires relentlessly.
Chase 'em down string 'em up
Hunt down your foes and bring them to justice.
Hate
Feel intense animosity towards those who try to harm or detract you.
Hate the ones who bring you down
Hold contempt for those who try to hinder or diminish you.
Chase
Resolve to go after what you want.
Chase 'em down string 'em up
Track down and punish those who try to harm you or your loved ones.
Hate
Despise and loathe those who do you wrong.
Hate the ones who bring you down
Feel disdain for those who try to impede your progress and success.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRANN DAILOR, BRENT HINDS, TROY SANDERS, WILLIAM KELLIHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Munk-a-Dunk
Change stand grow
These things you'll never be
Taste your fate
All that you'll ever be
A life love unconditional
A life love
Love unconditional
Chase
Chase 'em down string 'em up
Hate
Hate the ones who bring you down.
Blacku Knighto
The drum solo starts at 0:04 and ends at 3:32
Rino Zisa
The best metal band of the 21st century hands down. Progressive, groovy with a bit of sludge. 0% gimmick, 100% metal.
Gavin
Mastodon are titans of prog metal, and just metal /rock music in general
FerrisWill
Troys transition from a 23 year old British man to a wizard is surprising
Yuki Kitsune
Omega-Tech he's not British though. He's from Georgia
Ethen Swords
Yuki Kitsune maybe he meant Georgia? Not sure where he would get British from lol
Perry Taylor
Yuki Kitsune whoosh
Dirtiest Soul / Sena
He was 32
Divinity Gaming
@Yuki Kitsune He's from Atlanta, Georgia. Georgia is a country.
Cepheon
Mastodon are absolute riff machine - it's baffling how many fantastic riffs they've written over the years. Their music might not be everyones cup of tea, but it's undeniable that they have written some of the most badass riffs in metal, not to mention the incredible musicianship of all the members.