Overview
Mastodon’s sixth studio album “Once More ‘Round the Sun” was released June 24th, 2014 from Reprise Records. It was recorded at Rock Falcon Studios in Franklin, Tennessee with Nick Raskulinecz as the producer. This album features their singles “High Road”, “Chimes at Midnight”, “The Motherload”, and “Asleep in the Deep”.
“Once More ‘Round the Sun” continues with the same optimistic themes that I felt in “The Hunter”. This tone definitely shifts throughout the album, though, ending with a very dark vibe. Very fascinating album and it was nice for me to listen all the way through since I have no actually done that with this album!
Song Analysis
We begin the album with “Tread Lightly” that has intense acoustic guitar, with other instruments gradually joining in. This intro sounds very unique and pretty different from other Mastodon sounds so far. The vocals join in amongst dark instrumentals. Half way through there is some buildup that leads into a groovy section before the vocals come back in again. The song ends with some good ‘ole Mastodon guitar work until the instruments slowly fade out.
“The Motherload” starts off with rumbling drums joined in by guitar riffs and a thick bass. The vocals join in, I really enjoy the beginning lyrics:
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 you can will it
You can have it
I can put it right there in your hands”
These lyrics seem so optimistic. Life is really hard and it is nice to think about the future being brighter. I am in the mood for positive thinking, so these lyrics feel really good to me. Half way through the song begins an instrumental passage that has a strong buildup that leads into guitar solos. The song ends pretty quickly once the vocals finish.
“High Road” has a pretty heavy and grim opening set of riffs urging you to bob your head along. The drums produce a buildup which help create the anticipation leading up to the vocals. This song has a really hard-ass or clever attitude. I love the words in the chorus:
You take the high road down
I take the ground below you
You take the high road down
I take the ground below”
What I take from these lyrics is that it is about a person that pretends to follow some sort of a set of moral values yet the writer is frustrated by the bigotry and acknowledges he won’t fake his intentions or morals, but the way that it is worded is much more clever. After the half way mark there is this really nice and speedy instrumental passage that switches back and forth with some guitar solos before repeating the chorus once again. The song ends with the gnarly riffs that open the song.
“Once More ‘Round the Sun” begins with some optimistic sounding riffs joined in with some drums increasing in volume. I enjoy the instrumentals half way through how it shifts from positive sounding riffs to the same thing being played in a key that makes it sound eerie. We are led out of the song with riffs that compliment the opening.
Starting off with dark and eerie slow riffs, “Chimes at Midnight” has this very haunting feel to open up the song. The composition shifts a bit and the guitars quickly arpeggiate back and forth. I specifically like the words, “Envy of others never makes me rich”. These words remind me that it really does not matter what people think of you. It reminds me of the saying, “What others think of you is none of your business.” Knowing the opinions of others can sometimes be very demotivating, and sometimes it is best to not know. Not that this is relevant to the actual meaning, but it just reminds me of that. This song finishes off with the dark and eerie themes that started the song.
Beginning with a moderate pace, “Asleep in the Deep” begins with some smooth guitar riffs and chill drumming. I really enjoy the story that is told through the lyrics, it is interesting wondering what it is about. It seems to be about hiding in a hidden home away from anything evil or negative in general. The personal value I can extract from that is sometimes it is better to hide away from everything when there is too much chaos. Sometimes simplifying life is what can help you conquer more. Toward the end of the song is a nice guitar solo over a relatively chill drum beat.
Opening the song with a unique and optimistic passage of arpeggiating guitars over dark chords, “Feast Your Eyes” definitely stands out. The beginning progresses forward and picks up the speed. I do really enjoy the vocals in this. They are pretty normal Mastodon vocals, but seem even better. Around the middle and before the end there are pleasant instrumental passages, and the song ends pretty abruptly.
“Aunt Lisa” begins with a really cool guitar riff that continues a few times, sprinkled in with drums. The vocals and other instruments eventually all join in together. Continuing at a moderate pace, I love all of the different instrumental shifts that all fit together seamlessly.
Starting off strong, “Ember City” has a series of pretty gnarly riffs to open the song along with some pretty interesting drums. The pace picks up a bit with a nice head bobbing groove. The composition shifts around a few times which feels so great to hear. I really enjoy the lyrics:
You walk with boundless grace
Think old thoughts from yesterday
All being lost in the fire
You wandered and lost the way
Someone’s always left behind
When the door of life closes
And you were slipping away
What do I say to you
What do I say to you”
These words can be perceived as having a variety of meanings. “You walk with boundless grace” can sound like someone that living at a higher level of being, but then “When the door of life closes / And you were slipping away” almost sounds like someone on the edge of dying. Maybe these words resonate with my so much because I reflect on my own chronic illness. When I am sick I feel like I am nothing, but once I am okay I feel like nothing can hold me back. Half way through the song is a pretty nice guitar solo played with a lot of feeling. We are led out of the song with a strong intensified instrumental passage that complements the intro of the song.
The song “Halloween” begins with another nice series of riffs. It is an interesting name because I do not think I would have thought much about correlating this song to the holiday Halloween, but the name does actually seem pretty fitting. Half way through the song there begins an instrumental passage with a unique guitar tone plus interesting drums. This passage shifts a bit in composition and really steps up the creativity and teases my brain a bit, this section continues through to the end of the song.
To end the album, “Diamond in the Witch House” begins with very classic Mastodon sounding guitars and other layers of instruments slowly enter, the intensity increases until the vocals come in after some drum buildup. I enjoy the lyrics and find them relatable:
Who am I to cause this emptiness
Willing the sea to cleanse my soul
Of all that I’ve been
To bring me free to this clarity”
There are definitely times in life where I wished I was a better person in general. Not that I’ve done anything particularly wrong, but that childhood need to be perfect and full of respect followed me much longer than I think is healthy? One thing that really stands out in this song is how heavy the guitar distortion is, it does really add to the grim sound of this song. Another lyrical passage I really enjoyed is:
I’m standing deep in these waters
Bleeding free and bent
To drag us onto the new visions
Only loss fills my void
Only loss fills my void
Only loss fills my void”
The words feel like pure emotional pain and torture, in a way that is expressed beautifully. The song, and album, basically ends on this emotionally raw state, which I feel like is quite the departure from the positive vibes I felt hearing the beginning of the album.
Final Thoughts
Mastodon has artistic qualities in their music that I don’t see as much in a lot of other bands that I really love. This album is another good display of that sentiment. Mastodon does a great job with making every song on their albums feel like one piece of a whole conceptual album. What do you think of this album?