Matt Pike Shares Excerpts From His Upcoming Book

High On Fire frontman (and Sleep guitarist) Matt Pike will release an illustrated lyric book of High on Fire albums, Head On A Pike: The Illustrated Lyrics of Matt Pike, on November 9 via Rare Bird (pre-order).

Each chapter is devoted to one of the band’s albums, and today Brooklyn Vegan have gotten their hands on the entire section for Blessed Black Wings (2005), which features artwork by past HoF collaborator Brian Mercer.

Head On A Pike also includes art by Arik Roper, David V. D’Andrea, Santos, Skinner, Jondix, Stash, Tim Lehi, Jordan Barlow and Derrick Snodgrass.

Here’s Pike himself, straight and to the point on Blessed Black Wings:

“I think that album, ‘Blessed Black Wings,’ was our milestone and us telling the world, this is who we are, SLAP, TAKE THAT!”

Mercer, the artist, was a bit more verbose, saying:

“When I was first asked to be a part of the Head on a Pike project I was thrilled. I was even more thrilled to learn I was doing the ‘Blessed Black Wings’ chapter. My immediate thought was that I wasn’t drawing ‘wings’; I have way too much respect for Arik Roper, the amazing work he did for the record and his legacy in general. My perceived view at the time was that the band leveled up further with this record for several reasons, but mainly because of the absolute road warriors they had been up to this point. I wanted an image to reflect a decorated warrior returning home with the spoils and scars of war. I would hint at wings, but the focus would a decorated warrior. I’m completely honored to be a part of this book. When I need to get motivated or go to war, ‘Blessed Black Wings’ is usually the soundtrack behind me when I’m swinging an axe at life.”

Have a look at a few pages from the chapter below. For the rest, head over to Brooklyn Vegan.