Pike vs. The Automaton is the psych-fueled first solo venture from Matt Pike, who is best known as the guitarist of stoner metal behemoths Sleep and the frontman for Grammy-winning doom metallers High on Fire. Based out of Portland, Oregon, the project began in 2020 in Pike's garage as a respite from the lockdown fatigue and creative stasis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. Working with Lord Dying drummer Jon Reid, the pair spent the forced downtime laying down the blueprints for what would become the group's eponymous 2022 debut album; a cathartic, unfiltered, and off-the-cuff collection of songs that combine elements of blues, doom, country, punk, and metal.