Review Summary: Putting Matt Pike’s established tropes to unorthodox ends
When looking at Pike vs the Automaton’s self-titled debut, it’s only inevitable to make comparisons to its figurehead’s established bands. There isn’t much resemblance to anything from Sleep to speak of here, nor Kalas for that matter, but the High on Fire DNA is certainly unmistakable. The project is rooted in Matg Pike’s sludgy guitar and gravelly rasp and drummer Jon Reid even seems to be taking cues from Des Kensel with a similarly busy, hard-hitting style on songs like “Throat Cobra.” Thankfully these similarities are ultimately superficial as Pike uses his signatures for exploration rather than recycling.
For starters, this album shows off more southern rock than anything else Pike has ever done. “Trapped in a Mindcave” is a particularly strong example with a grimy mid-tempo crawl that isn’t too far off from something Down or Crowbar would come up with while the closing “Leaving the Wars of Woe” applies a similar riff makeup across its near eleven-minute length. “Land” takes it even further, bordering on country with its wistful atmosphere, more melodic drawl, and extra twang courtesy of Mastodon’s Brent Hinds. I find myself wishing there had been even more tracks in the latter’s more laid-back style.
Other tracks demonstrate a slapdash quality that reflects the album’s jammed out conception. The riffs on a song like “Acid Test Zone” could fit into the High on Fire playbook, but the sound effects sprinkled throughout along with the screeching vocals leave it entrenched more in hardcore territory. “Apollyon” and “Latin American Geological Formation” also seem like they could be familiar retreads at first with their doomy pacing, but the warped textures and abstract structures give them a decidedly ‘weirder’ feeling.
Overall, Matt Pike’s solo venture does a commendable job of putting his established tropes toward unorthodox ends. I must admit that Pike vs. the Automaton takes some extra time to feel out compared to his other projects. But as much as I find myself wishing that he had explored these southern rock elements even further, I’m sure other folks will get a kick out of seeing his signature riffs and vocals be presented with more experimental flourishes and genre variety. It may not fully sate fans seeking the next coming of Sleep or High on Fire, but it offers some solid eccentricities.
