| Pike vs. The Automaton | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Studio album by Matt Pike | ||
| Released | February 18 2022 | |
| Recorded | 2020 - 2021 at The Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon | |
| Genre | Heavy Metal, Psychedelic, Blues | |
| Length | 62:13 | |
| Label | MNRK Heavy | |
| Producer | Matt Pike, Billy Anderson | |
| Matt Pike chronology | ||
| Pike vs. The Automaton (2022) |
||
Pike vs. The Automaton is the debut solo album by Matt Pike, best known for his endeavors with Sleep and High on Fire. Composed in 2020 and 2021 during the CO-VID19 Pandemic, it would be released in February 2022 via MNRK Heavy.[1] Along with the core trio of Pike, Chad Hartgrave and Jon Reid (Lord Dying), Pike vs. The Automaton would feature numerous guest such as Alyssa Maucere-Pike (Lord Dying / Grigax), Chad “Chief” Hartgrave, Brent Hinds (Mastodon), Steve McPeeks (West End Motel), Josh Greene (El Cerdo), Todd Burdette (Tragedy), and Jeff Matz (Zeke, High on Fire).
Background[]
Matt Pike would begin work on a solo album in 2020 during The CO-VID19 Pandemic, while isolated in Portland, Oregon. He would begin working with friends when the idea just came to jam out. In early 2021 it would be announced that Pike would be recording a solo album and that Brent Hinds (Mastodon) would be involved.[2] On 14 December 2021, more details would surface including the guests, label, release date, track list and album cover. The album would be engineered and produced by Billy Anderson, who previously engineered three albums by Sleep and two by High on Fire.[3]
In a press release, Pike would speak at length about the solo album:
| “ | “I was just going bonkers during the pandemic. It was like really, truly miserable. And then all the riots here in Portland and all the political shit. I was trapped in my garage, which was the only place I could go and jam and do anything,” confesses Pike. “I was trapped in there ’cause I couldn’t go jam with High on Fire, I couldn’t do this, I couldn’t do that, no one could fly. I was going crazy. My friend Jon Reid, who was the original drummer for Lord Dying, had moved to Portland and was babysitting my dog, Crom, and he was drumming for my wife’s band, so he had his drums already set up at my place. I finally said, “Dude, do you want to come over and just start jamming? So, I just started this thing with my friend Jon. I was like, “Dude, fuck it. Let’s start a side band and we’ll just demo this and act like we’re starting it as teenagers, you know?” | ” |
— Matt Pike, The Obelisk [4]
|
The first single released to promote the album would be "Alien Slut Mum", which would also feature a video.[5] On 10 February 2022, a music video for "Land" would be released, a blues song featuring Brent Hinds.
Pike vs. The Automaton would garner mostly positive reviews from the likes of The Sleeping Shaman,[6] New Noise Magazine (4/5)[7] and Blabbermouth (8.5/10)[8] However some critics would be critical of the album's length such as Pitchfork (6.8/10),[9] Distorted Sound Magazine (6/10)[10] and Kerrang (3/5).[11]
Tracklist[]
All songs written by Matt Pike except where noted.
- 1. Abusive (5:18)
- 2. Throat Cobra (5:22) (Matt Pike, Todd Burdette)
- 3. Trapped in a Midcave (8:22) (Matt Pike, Jonathan Reid)
- 4. Epoxia (0:49) 4311
- 5. Land (6:54) (Matt Pike, Alyssa Maucere-Pike)
- 6. Alien Slut Mum (4:53)
- 7. Apollyon (9:28)
- 8. Acid Test Zone (3:17) (Matt Pike, Alyssa Maucere-Pike)
- 9. Latin American Geological Formation (6:54)
- 10. Leaving The Wars of Woe (10:56)
Personnel[]
- Matt Pike - Guitar, Vocals; Bass (6, 10); Associate Producer
- Chad Hartgrave - Bass (1, 2, 5, 7, 9)
- Jon Reid - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals; Associate Producer
- Alyssa Maucere-Pike - Bass, Vocals (8)
- Brent Hinds - Slide Guitar, Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals (5)
- Steve McPeeks - Double Bass (5)
- Josh Greene - Synthesizer (10)
- Todd Burdette - Lead Guitar, Vocals, Knife Guy (2)
- Jeff Matz - Turkish Saz (10)
- Billy Anderson - Engineer, Mixing, Producer; Samples; Bass (3, 4)
- Connor Reising - Additional Engineering
- Ethan Stouder - Additional Engineering
- Justin Weis - Mastering
- Jordan Barlow - Artwork
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ The Obelisk
- ↑ Metal Injection
- ↑ The Obelisk
- ↑ The Obelisk Matt Pike Sets Feb. 11 Release for Pike vs. the Automaton, accessed 14 December 2021
- ↑ Metal Injection
- ↑ The Sleeping Shaman
- ↑ New Noise Magazine
- ↑ Blabbermouth
- ↑ Pitchfork
- ↑ Distorted Sound Magazine
- ↑ Kerrang
| V·T·E High on Fire | |
|---|---|
| Current Members | Matt Pike • Jeff Matz • Coady Willis |
| Past Members | George Rice • Joe Preston • Des Kensel • Nick Parks • Christopher Maggio |
| Studio Albums | The Art of Self Defense • Surrounded By Thieves • Blessed Black Wings • Death Is This Communion • Snakes For The Divine • De Vermis Mysteriis • Luminiferous • Electric Messiah |
| Extended Plays | High on Fire • Speak In Tongues • Bat Salad |
| Live Albums | Live From The Relapse Contamination Festival • Spitting Fire |
| Associated Bands, Artists, Etc. | Sleep • Kalas • Dear Deceased • Earth • Melvins • Harvey Milk • Zeke • Mutoid Man |