Oblivion (Mastodon song)

Oblivion is the second single from Crack the Skye by American progressive metal band Mastodon. It is their second-most successful single and song from Crack the Skye, reaching #30 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart; however, it has since been surpassed by "Curl of the Burl," which peaked at #16. It is the opening track on the band's live album Live At The Aragon.

"Oblivion"
Single by Mastodon
from the album Crack the Skye
ReleasedFebruary 16, 2009
RecordedSouthern Tracks Studios in Atlanta, Georgia
GenreProgressive metal
Length5:46
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Brann Dailor, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher, Troy Sanders
Producer(s)Brendan O'Brien
Mastodon singles chronology
"Divinations"
(2009)
"Oblivion"
(2009)
"Black Tongue"
(2011)

Music video

edit

The music video alternates between clips of the band playing in a wasteland, and clips of each member on a space station, aptly named 'Skyelab'. They seem to be trying to repair the space station. Dailor is outside the station, frozen and not wearing his helmet at the beginning of the video, with Sanders attempting to retrieve him with a mechanical arm. Eventually, Sanders gives up and Hinds is given the task to effect repairs to the space station. While he is outside, he begins to see strange lights, which are also noticed by Kelliher. Hinds takes off his helmet and is killed instantly, while Kelliher exits through the airlock and also dies. Sanders dons a space suit to continue the repairs, but stops to look at the others who have fallen as the video ends.

The video won the Best Video title at the 2009 Kerrang! Awards. According to Brann Dailor, the video was influenced by Stanley Kubrick's science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Charts

edit
Chart (2009) Peak

position

US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)[1] 16
US Active Rock (Billboard)[2] 29
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[3] 30

Personnel

edit
Mastodon

Other appearances

edit

An instrumental version of "Oblivion" appears on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game, Brütal Legend.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Hot Singles Sales – November 21, 2009". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  2. ^ "Mastodon Chart History (Active Rock)". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Mastodon Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  4. ^ The most metal game soundtrack ever unveiled