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)
This Mortail Soil
Mastodon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A deepened soil
Nothing
Empty cup
Trade not known
Showing promise of a perfect land
No regrets for a fallen ground
The omen passed
Reflect on the duties held
Oceans morph to dust
Chasing the timeline
Bolts of light flash
Original storm god
The atmosphere that floats above the earth
Is corrupt for man
This we know
What has dwelt within the early dawn has gone away
That's okay
Dig
Climb
Ancient elm
Root
Ride the vine of father ground our carving
The atmosphere that floats above the earth is corrupt for man
This we know
Circle
Made of ash
Betray her presence
Huntress
Gentle breath
Listen to the poison rose
The lyrics of Mastodon's "This Mortal Soil" are enigmatic and hard to decipher. The song seems to touch on the idea of a corrupted atmosphere and how it affects humanity. The opening line "Floating in red again" can be interpreted as a reference to blood, indicative of a violent and hostile environment. The next few lines, "A deepened soil, Nothing, Empty cup, Trade not known," convey a sense of barrenness and lack of resources, a world where survival is difficult.
The lyrics later hint at a prophecy that promises a "perfect land," but the reality is far from perfect, and the ground has already fallen. The "woman possessed" could either be a reference to a religious figure, someone who has a prophetic vision, or someone who has succumbed to the world's corruption. The line "Oceans morph to dust" could point to a human-induced climate disaster, where even the vast bodies of water have evaporated, leaving behind the dry and barren land.
The chorus of "The atmosphere that floats above the earth is corrupt for man/This we know" underscores the idea of a polluted environment that is beyond redemption. The final lines "Dig/ Climb/ Ancient elm/ Root/ Ride the vine of father ground our carving/ Circle/ Made of ash/ Betray her presence/ Huntress/ Gentle breath/ Listen to the poison rose" evoke a sense of primitive survival tactics, where humanity resorts to seeking refuge in nature- using the ancient elm trees and the vines to carve out a living. The poison rose could be a metaphor for survival in a hostile and toxic environment, where one needs to be adept at identifying the perils and poisons lurking around.
Line by Line Meaning
Floating in red again
Feeling lost and overwhelmed, unable to escape a dangerous situation.
A deepened soil
A state of being that involves feeling weighed down and stuck in place.
Nothing
A sense of emptiness and hopelessness, as if there is no way forward.
Empty cup
A feeling of being drained and without resources, unable to face challenges or overcome obstacles.
Trade not known
A mystery or uncertainty about what is to come, a lack of knowledge or understanding.
Showing promise of a perfect land
Despite the challenges, there is still hope for a better future or something positive ahead.
No regrets for a fallen ground
Even in the face of destruction or loss, there is a sense of acceptance and moving forward without dwelling on the past.
The omen passed
A moment of relief or release from a negative sign or indication of what is to come.
Woman possessed
A sense of being controlled or consumed by a force that is beyond one's control or understanding.
Reflect on the duties held
A moment of reflection or introspection, considering past responsibilities or actions.
Oceans morph to dust
A sense of impermanence and change, as even the most stable or solid things can shift and transform with time.
Chasing the timeline
A desire to keep up or stay on track, even as time moves forward and things change.
Bolts of light flash
A moment of inspiration or insight, a sudden realization or understanding.
Original storm god
An ancient and powerful force, representing something primal and elemental.
The atmosphere that floats above the earth
Is corrupt for man
This we know
The sense that the world can be a dangerous or harmful place, particularly for humans, and that this is a universal truth.
What has dwelt within the early dawn has gone away
That's okay
Accepting that there are things that are lost to time or cannot be regained, but finding peace in this knowledge and moving forward.
Dig
A command to take action or make a change, to get to work on something important.
Climb
A reminder to keep going and strive for higher goals or accomplishments.
Ancient elm
Root
A connection to the natural world, particularly to the idea of being grounded and rooted in something solid.
Ride the vine of father ground our carving
Finding a way to work with the natural world and use its resources to create something new or meaningful.
Circle
Made of ash
An image of something destroyed or consumed by fire, but which still holds a sense of unity or wholeness.
Betray her presence
Huntress
The idea of being hunted or pursued by a powerful and unrelenting force, something that cannot be avoided or escaped.
Gentle breath
Listen to the poison rose
A sense of beauty or wonder, even in the face of danger or toxicity. An invitation to look for the good even in difficult situations.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: BRENT HINDS, TROY SANDERS, WILLIAM KELLIHER, BRANN DAILOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind