Matt Pike, of High on Fire and Sleep, has announced his debut solo album, Pike vs. The Automaton. Ahead of the February 18th release date, the singer-guitarist shared the video for lead single “Alien Slut Mum.”
Pike recorded the LP amidst the pandemic — out of creative necessity — with drummer Jon Reid alongside veteran producer Billy Anderson, responsible for High on Fire’s Surrounded by Thieves and Sleep’s Holy Mountain.
Regarding the bizarrely titled “Alien Slut Mum,” Pike only had this to say: “Four friends enter the woods, for a getaway, little did they know they would never return! Dogmen, Sasquach, Reptilians, or alien slut mum?!?! Where have they gone??”
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As for the music, fans of both High on Fire and Sleep will relish the blend of familiar styles. In his own words, Pike describes the LP as “a psychedelic rock record that Sleep and High on Fire fans would like.”
“I definitely think it’s interesting; it has D-Beat punk, two-step,” he remarked via a press release. “It’s got everything and it still works together, it doesn’t sound odd. It’s just an off-the-wall psychedelic rock record.”
In addition to Reid, Pike vs. The Automaton features guest appearances from Pike’s scenemates and musical colleagues: Brent Hinds (Mastodon), Alyssa Maucere-Pike (Lord Dying / Grigax), Chad “Chief” Hartgrave, , Steve McPeeks (West End Motel), Josh Greene (El Cerdo), Todd Burdette (Tragedy), and High on Fire’s Jeff Matz (on closer “Leaving the Wars of Woe”).
“I was just going bonkers during the pandemic,” Pike said of the album’s conception, mid-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.”
He continued: “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, f–k it. Let’s start a side band and we’ll just demo this and act like we’re starting it as teenagers, you know?”
Pre-order Pike vs. The Automaton via MNRK. Watch the video for “Alien Slut Mum,” and see the LP artwork and tracklist below.
Pike vs. the Automaton Artwork: 
Pike vs. the Automaton Tracklist:
01. Abusive
02. Throat Cobra
03. Trapped in a Midcave
04. Epoxia
05. Land
06. Alien Slut Mum
07. Apollyon
08. Acid Test Zone
09. Latin American Geological Formation
10. Leaving the Wars of Woe
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