Matthew Lance Pike[2] (born June 3, 1972) is an American musician best known as the guitarist of stoner metal/doom metal band Sleep and the frontman of High on Fire.
The band's second album, Sleep's Holy Mountain, illustrated Pike as a young Tony Iommi, playing Black Sabbath-styled riffs.
However, instead of following a path to mainstream exposure, the band fled further underground, turning down countless major label deals[citation needed] and submitting the one-song, full-length record Jerusalem in mid-1996.
Deciding to work in a power trio again, he brought in Desmond Kensel (drums) and an old friend George Rice (bass) to play in his new band.
[6] Pike was the frontman of the Bay Area psychedelic-metal band Kalas (formerly Scum Angel) that featured members of Econochrist, Samiam, and Cruevo.
[10] Again on January 7, 2019, they announced via their Instagram that High on Fire would be cancelling their 2019 Electric Messiah tour because of Pike's risk of losing his big toe or part of his foot, due to complications from diabetes.