Remission

Remission is the full-length debut album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on May 28, 2002 via Relapse Records and was re-released on October 21, 2003.

Most of the songs were written long before the album was recorded. “Workhorse” premiered live in Memphis in July 2001. “Trampled Under Hoof,” “Trilobite,” “Where Strides The Behemoth,” “Crusher Destroyer,” and “Mother Puncher” were all played on a WMFU radio show on August 7, 2001, and “Trainwreck” was written while Eric Saner was still in the band.

At the beginning of “Crusher Destroyer” is the roar of the Tyrannosaurus rex from the film Jurassic Park with Lex screaming her brother’s name, “Timmy!,” as they get attacked in the car.

Troy Sanders has stated that the album is loosely based on the theme of fire. However, Remission was Mastodon’s only album not considered a concept album until 2011’s The Hunter.
The album’s cover art was designed by artist Paul Romano and was inspired by the dream that drummer Brann Dailor once experienced. The dream was about his deceased sister who died at the age of 14, depicting a burning horse and subsequent nuclear holocaust. The drummer shared his vision with Paul Romano after a concert at the Pontiac Grille in Philadelphia, PA. Romano was so touched that he decided to transform the dream into the cover of their debut album. The artist has also guided the underlying five-elements theme that began with Mastodon’s flame-licked logo and continued with fire (Remission), water (Leviathan), earth (Blood Mountain), and aether (Crack the Skye) themed records.