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)
Naked Burn
Mastodon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A giant born within a woman's womb
Nephilim walking through the forest breaking limbs
As we bow and give respect to the gods
Save yourself
Don't wait on me
My feet are sewn
The church is burning from the inside out
Altars falling into ashes again
An eagle fly upon horizons with sight
Focusing on all our family and friends
Apologize
Can we rise above it
Climb the line
It's a good endeavor
The ships arrived
Let's sail into the weather
Our crying eyes
Save yourself
Don't wait on me
My feet are sewn
Endless bottom
The lyrics of Mastodon's "Naked Burn" seem to be talking about the entanglement of mortals with gods and divine beings, and the consequences that arise from such relationships. The opening lines, "Angels dancing with a mortal a sin / A giant born within a woman's womb / Nephilim walking through the forest breaking limbs / As we bow and give respect to the gods," suggest the mix of the divine and the human. Angels, giants, and Nephilim (half-angels, half-humans according to ancient texts) are all beings that are not entirely divine but have godly qualities. The mention of giving respect to the gods shows a sense of piety and humility before these powerful entities.
However, the song takes a darker turn as it describes the burning of the church "from the inside out" and the fall of its altars. The eagle flying in the horizon seems to observe the destruction, with a focus on the "family and friends" of the people involved. The lines "Save yourself / Don't wait on me / My feet are sewn / Endless bottom" suggest a sense of resignation from the singer, as if they are unable or unwilling to avoid the impending doom.
The second half of the song seems to offer a solution or way out of the darkness. The lines "Apologize / Can we rise above it / Climb the line / It's a good endeavor / The ships arrived / Let's sail into the weather / Our crying eyes" suggest an attempt at reconciliation and forgiveness. By apologizing and rising above the conflict, there is hope that a better future can be achieved. The image of sailing into the weather may suggest that it won't be an easy journey, but it's worth taking the risk to escape the destructive cycle.
Line by Line Meaning
Angels dancing with a mortal a sin
A forbidden union between divine and human
A giant born within a woman's womb
An extraordinary being born from ordinary means
Nephilim walking through the forest breaking limbs
Powerful beings taking their toll on nature
As we bow and give respect to the gods
Acknowledgement of a divine presence
Save yourself
Take responsibility for your own well-being
Don't wait on me
I may not be able to help you
My feet are sewn
I feel tied down and trapped
Endless bottom
A deep, unending despair
The church is burning from the inside out
A collapse of institutional authority
Altars falling into ashes again
Religious rituals and symbols losing their power and meaning
An eagle fly upon horizons with sight
A bird of prey with acute vision searching for prey
Focusing on all our family and friends
The predatory gaze of those who seek to harm us
Apologize
Admit fault and seek forgiveness
Can we rise above it
Is it possible to overcome our problems?
Climb the line
Strive for success and progress
It's a good endeavor
A worthwhile pursuit
The ships arrived
An opportunity for change has presented itself
Let's sail into the weather
Let's confront challenges head-on
Our crying eyes
Referring to emotional pain and sorrow
Save yourself
Repeating the earlier exhortation
Don't wait on me
Repeating the earlier advice
My feet are sewn
Repeating the earlier expression of helplessness
Endless bottom
Repeating the earlier expression of hopelessness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL KELLIHER, BRANN TIMOTHY DAILOR, BRENT HINDS, TROY JAYSON SANDERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind