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)
The Motherload
Mastodon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can feel the weight
Feel the weight
I can see what this life has handed you
I can feel the weight
Feel the weight
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you slip away
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you leave this way
If you want you can will it
You can have it
I can put it right there in your hands
I can hear what the spirits are telling you
I can clear the weight
Clear the weight
I can see all the wolves as they circle you
I can crush the weight
Crush the weight
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you slip away
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you leave this way
If you want you can will it
You can have it
I can put it right there in your hands
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you slip away
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you leave this way
If you want you can will it
You can have it
I can put it right there in your hands
The first stanza of the song "The Motherload" by Mastodon is an acknowledgement of the struggles and burden that the subject of the song has borne. The weight referred to in the lyrics is symbolic of emotional and psychological distress. The singer acknowledges the pain that the subject has experienced in life and the way the world has treated them. The empathy conveyed in the lyric, "I can feel the weight," is palpable, and the singer recognizes how difficult it is for the subject to carry on.
The second stanza is subtly suggestive of hope and a willingness to help the subject overcome their predicament. The mood in this part of the song becomes more positive, and the singer reassures the subject that things will work out fine. The lyric "We won't let you slip away" is reassuring, and the phrase "Things'll work out just fine" is a simple yet powerful declaration of hope.
The chorus is a straightforward repetition of the earlier claim that things will work out well, and the singer offers assistance to the subject if they choose to accept it. The message from the song is one of comfort, encouragement, and assistance. The song is a call to those who are struggling with psychological or emotional distress to seek help and to believe in the possibility of positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see what the world has done to you
I understand the pain and hardships the world has caused you.
I can feel the weight
I can empathize with the burden you carry.
I can see what this life has handed you
I understand the difficulties and obstacles life has presented to you.
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine
We won't let you slip away
This time things will be better and we won't let you fall back into despair.
We won't let you leave this way
We won't allow you to give up and leave this life behind.
If you want you can will it
You can have it
I can put it right there in your hands
You have the power to make things better and I can help you achieve your goals.
I can hear what the spirits are telling you
I understand the messages and feelings you are getting from the spiritual world.
I can clear the weight
I can help remove and alleviate your burdens.
I can see all the wolves as they circle you
I am aware of the predators and negative forces around you.
I can crush the weight
I can use my strength to destroy the forces that bring you down.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRANN TIMOTHY DAILOR, TROY JAYSON SANDERS, WILLIAM BREEN KELLIHER, WILLIAM BRENT HINDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zacharyw213
So a few years ago my best friend was trying to get me into metal and her kind of music in general. She'd constantly share songs to me in hopes that one day one song would stick with me.
Then she shared this song.
Few years later I can say she's converted me now. Mastodon has grown to be one of my favorite bands of all time. I love her favorite band, Ghost. And I'm now discovering so much more and falling in love. Although I love more progressive metal such as Mastodon, Voivod, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's latest album (PetroDragonic Apocalypse) ect. And she loves more metalcore or the classics. It's still her that's shown me to a new type of music. And I love her for it. And I love Mastodon for Kickstarting my love. Such an incredible band I will forever cherish.
Anyways, that's all. Please recommend bands to me. I'd love to discover more bands to fall in love with. I love this band, Voivod, Periphery, Ghost, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Twelve Foot Ninja, I'm probably forgetting some.
Rock on.
@juan-iw8uq
I can see what the world has done to you.
I can feel the weight,
Feel the weight.
I can see what this life has handed you.
I can feel the weight,
Feel the weight.
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine.
We won't let you slip away.
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine.
We won't let you leave this way.
If you want it, you can will it.
You can have it!
I can put it right there in your hands!
I can hear what the spirits are telling you.
I can clear the weight,
Clear the weight.
I can see all the wolves as they circle you.
I can crush the weight,
Crush the weight.
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine.
We won't let you slip away.
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine.
We won't let you leave this way.
If you want it, you can will it.
You can have it!
I can put it right there in your hands!
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine.
We won't let slip away.
This time, this time
Things'll work out just fine.
We won't let you leave this way.
If you want you want it, you can will it.
You can have it!
I'll put it right there in your hands!
@BorthrHossMC
Here's a story for ya
I've known about mastodon for years. obviously, they're huge. but I never looked into them much because I'm more into punk. So, one day, my band had a gig in Atlanta. We're from ohio, and like the idiots we are, we drove overnight to get there. We played at this place called Star Bar in little 5 points (excellent club btw)
Our guitarist, however, is a huge metalhead. and a MAJOR mastodon fan. We pull up to the clubs parking spot, and our guitarist starts saying "Holy shit, is that fucking Brent? Dude... That's fucking Brent Hinds (sp?)
We had to let him go talk to him while we loaded in gear, cause c'mon. He'd do the same for any one of us. Anyway, not only is Brent super fucking cool to him and talks to him for awhile, let's him take pictures. But he stuck around and smoked with my guitarist and bassist. Fast foreward a bit, and I go up to the bar and order a beer. he sits next to me, introduces himself to me, and we shoot the shit for a good ten minutes.
Long story short, Brent is the coolest well known musician I've ever met, and I've met a few. Now I consider myself a blossoming mastodon fan. So anyone who likes these guys, just know that Brent is super chill.
I dunno, it makes me feel good knowing guys I look up to and respect aren't dicks. Figured I'd share for everyone who are long time fans.
@berner
Man I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to learn how to sing and drum at the same time.
@dinklebamp
Way worse. Try learning to play LIKE BRANN and sing.
@silentm999
5 way coordination. Dude has undoubtedly dedicated tens of thousands of hours.
@DanielSilva-gf4kk
Now imagine playing the harmonica and singing at the same time... :P
@silentm999
@Daniel Pereira da Silva I've seen someone beatbox and sing at the same time. Crazy impressive.
@lindstramiofficial614
This is the most innocent comment I've seen
@cloudbloom
The lyrics on this track are what I dedicate to my dear friends when they are dealing with heavy shit. I want them to know they are not alone and I'm here for them. I love this song
@YuriGoofov
except they're not uplifting self help lyrics... they are esoteric.
@FITNESSOVER45
The fact that it's Brann Dailor saying "This time things will work out just fine" says it all.
As you probably know, Crack The Skye was about Brann Dailor's younger sister's suicide. It seems to me that this song is obviously about a similar episode that Brann is now experiencing, with another woman in his life. He is telling himself that this time he recognizes what is happening and he won't let it get that bad, other wise what "time" in the past could he be referring to when he says "this time" ? he is reassuring himself "This time, this time, things will work out just fine." This is the connection that the rest of you seem to have missed.
This song is about a woman going through a midlife crisis. The motherload has gotten too much for her and shes questioning all that she has or never had. The grass is always greener and all that shit. A massive problem. Together these times can be beater and people can come out better WITHOUT leaving theyre partners. Together stronger!
@bluthammer1442
alone or not we all end up either in heaven or hell before we die.
flip of the coin and you are the in a life of unliving and crying for death - regardless of whose there or not.