Matt Pike (High On Fire, Sleep) recently introduced the world to his new solo project Pike Vs. The Automaton. The project is now streaming the new song "Land" featuring Mastodon guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds alongside West End Motel bassist Steve McPeeks, and of course it's bluesy as hell.
""Land" was written after I had just come home from a tour. It's like an old blues song. I was thinking of it as like a bunch of old dudes in a subway doing a doo-wop thing," said Pike. "It has the feel of a two-step like my Mom used to dance to, like Country Western. It's totally about depression and leading a hard life.
"Later, I was playing the song for Brent Hinds from Mastodon who had come out to Portland to jam with me and he laid down this smokin'-ass Billy Gibbons kind of solo! I did one solo and then he did his solo and I'm like, 'You're a dick,' (laughs). The bass player from Brent's other band West End Motel, Steve McPeeks, played some stand-up bass – both plucking and with a bow – and it really brought out this depth to the song. I've never written a song like that and recorded it and made it as cool as it is. It's totally different."
Pike Vs. The Automaton will release its self-titled debut album on February 18. The album features additional guest appearances from Alyssa Maucere-Pike (Lord Dying, Grigax), Chad "Chief" Hartgrave, Josh Greene (El Cerdo), Todd Burdette (Tragedy), and Jeff Matz (High On Fire, Mutoid Man).
