motW had a consistent core membership which consisted of Jason Byron, Greg Massi, and Toby Driver. Throughout motW's career, they saw a sort of "revolving door" of members and session musicians as they were needed. In this regard, it may be more accurate to think of motW as a project rather than a typical band, akin to Chuck Schuldiner's influential death metal project/band, Death.
motW's music, lyrics, and atmosphere dealt predominantly with the subject of astral projection. The band tried to find music rather than compose it. This was attempted through practicing astral projection and lucid dreams, from which the band were purportedly able to "bring back" pre-existing music from the astral plane. This idea is similar to the common dogmatic notion that "all good things come from God", but with a new-age spin.
In late 2001, motW began working on a fourth studio album. During this time, the band lost longtime members, changed labels, and ultimately renamed themselves to Kayo Dot. This fourth motW album was released in 2003 as Kayo Dot's Choirs of the Eye.
Bath and Leaving Your Body Map were re-issued by Dark Symphonies in 2006 and the label has recently announced plans to re-release My Fruit PsychoBells...A Seed Combustible in September 2007.
On July 27, 2008, Toby Driver released a statement in his blog which confirms that a new studio album will be recorded starting February, 2009. The album, entitled Part the Second, was released in May 2009 on the band's website. The record was entirely fan-funded, and people who contributed to the funding of the record are listed on their website. A double-LP edition pressed at 45rpm was issued in November 2010 thanks to fan donations.
In 2012, the bands whole discography was re-released on CD through Blood Music, including The Secret Song single and the first CD release of Part the Second.
Catharsis of Sea-Sleep and Dreaming Shrines
maudlin of the Well Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The waves that move,
They pierce my drifting soul.
With want I reach in vain to grasp the sun
As off it falls beneath the dancing fields
And paints fore'er this spout-girt majesty!
O, slimy things!
I yearn to hear you sing from depths as deep as stars doth shine
I wish to hear thee sing!
O, ammonite with aeon-closed eye!
Speak to me in water-tongues
And grant to me the eyesight you once saw
The Sea-gods with!
My voyage as above, so below
Upon a dreaming ship I sail
Upon my life I conjure they whom no dry eyes have seen
Since sleep hath stolen over forms and sunken temples built
By gods themselves!
Alone I embark for cities immersed
In depths of thought and caverns full of dreams!
What corals dress this city fallen?
What the magick language lost one-thousand leagues?
Nightmare! Come, and speak to me
From beneath the waves that rock young ships
To slumber sweet
Gods, caress me with thy chthonic hands
Steep my mind with the beauty of a vision-world
And bury me in temples where my soul
Can e'er explore these realms of madness submerged!
The lyrics of maudlin of the Well's song Catharsis of Sea-Sleep and Dreaming Shrines take the listener on a journey through the depths of the sea, exploring the unknown realms of the ocean and the secrets they hold. The opening line, "In my dreams I see no nearer god," suggests a feeling of emptiness and a search for something greater, which the singer hopes to find through their exploration of the sea.
However, the singer is not met with serenity in their journey, but instead encounters piercing waves that seem to penetrate their soul. They yearn to grasp the sun, which symbolizes a desire for enlightenment or understanding, but it falls beyond their reach. The imagery of fore'er spout-girt majesty suggests the beauty and power of the sea, even in its tumultuous moments.
The singer then calls out to the creatures of the sea, particularly the ammonite with its aeon-closed eye, hoping to hear their water-tongues and gain their understanding of the sea gods. They embark on a voyage to cities immersed in the depths of thought and dreams, searching for the magick language lost one-thousand leagues.
This song explores themes of the unknown, the search for meaning, and the desire for enlightenment. The lyrics are rich with imagery and symbolism, taking the listener on a vivid journey through the depths of the sea and the wonders it holds.
Line by Line Meaning
In my dreams I see no nearer god.
I do not feel any closer to a divine power when I dream.
The waves that move,
The movement of the waves.
They pierce my drifting soul.
It deeply affects my wandering spirit.
With want I reach in vain to grasp the sun
I desire to embrace the sun, but it eludes my grasp.
As off it falls beneath the dancing fields
The sun appears to descend below the horizon.
And paints fore'er this spout-girt majesty!
It creates a majestic and everlasting scene with the water spouts.
O, slimy things!
Creatures lurking in the depths.
I yearn to hear you sing from depths as deep as stars doth shine
I long to hear them make sounds as deep as the bright stars.
From realms of light above.
From the bright and illuminated space above.
I wish to hear thee sing!
I desire to hear the creatures sing.
O, ammonite with aeon-closed eye!
Ammonite with eyes sealed for centuries.
Speak to me in water-tongues
Speak to me in the language of water.
And grant to me the eyesight you once saw
Give me the ability to see as you once did.
The Sea-gods with!
The gods of the sea.
My voyage as above, so below
My journey is mirrored in both the heavens and the depths.
Upon a dreaming ship I sail
I am traveling on a ship in my dreams.
Upon my life I conjure they whom no dry eyes have seen
I summon those who have never been viewed by human eyes.
Since sleep hath stolen over forms and sunken temples built
Since sleep has claimed the existence of submerged temples and edifices.
By gods themselves!
Built by the divine beings.
Alone I embark for cities immersed
I start a solitary journey to submerged cities.
In depths of thought and caverns full of dreams!
In profound and dreamlike caves.
What corals dress this city fallen?
What kind of coral adorns this sunken city?
What the magick language lost one-thousand leagues?
What magical language has been lost for a thousand leagues?
Nightmare! Come, and speak to me
Nightmare, come and communicate with me.
From beneath the waves that rock young ships
From beneath the waters that influence young boats to sway.
To slumber sweet
To have a relaxing and peaceful sleep.
Gods, caress me with thy chthonic hands
Gods, touch me gently with your dark and gloomy hands.
Steep my mind with the beauty of a vision-world
Fill my mind with the beauty of a world that exists only in my imagination.
And bury me in temples where my soul
And let me rest in the temples where my soul can.
Can e'er explore these realms of madness submerged!
Explore these sunken realms of insanity forever.
Contributed by Jordyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Noir2129
Maudlin Of The Well is my favorite band.
bcfblack
The vocals are epic in the beginning XD It's like.. hmm.. maybe good indie music actually exists? and then DEATH GROWL i love it
Deanna De Dios
Damn this takes me back a good 10 years if not longer... To those many nights chillin with non other than my cousins getting lifted and having this song on repeat as we star gazed, talked, laughed, clowned ect... The list goes on and on but only those who were a part of such amazing times will truly understand the influence this song had on us at that one moment in our lives when we were all so care free *sigh*
DFAC
+Deanna De Dios Good feels.
Nick Hamilton
Reading this gave me the feels.
Bob Bib
What a fortune it is to discover such a wonderful underground band back in the 2000s!
bruno6
One my favorites ever. I love the lyrics
james dawber
What a gem, thanks /mu/
D. Wolfe
>/mu/
boakingaccidents
Goddamn, the doomy outro beginning around 7:00 is so good. motW was able to span so many sub-genres effectively, never half assed, never jack of all trades, master of none type shit.