Orogeny millions of years and build mountains from plains or from the seabed. The topographic height of orogenic mountains is related to the principle of isostasy, that is, a balance of the downward gravitational force upon an upthrust mountain range (composed of light, continental crust material) and the buoyant upward forces exerted by the dense underlying mantle. Frequently, rock formations that undergo orogeny are severely deformed and undergo metamorphism. Orogenic processes may push deeply buried rocks to the surface. Sea-bottom and near-shore material may cover some or all of the orogenic area. If the orogeny is due to two continents colliding,
What to Do When You Are Dead music and lyrics into the record's concept. The booklet was created by Rob Dobi, with art direction from Jorgensen and Asterik Studio, which also designed the booklet. Dave Hill contributed photography. "Spin" writer Will Hermes noted the album booklet's Hipgnosis-styled layout as being "an important part" of the album. Jorgensen revealed that one of the reasons Armor for Sleep signed to Equal Vision was the label's inclination to satisfy the group's creative vision. On November 11, 2004, "What to Do When You Are Dead" was announced for release and a rough mix of "Car Underwater" was made available for streaming.