At only $50, this pedal offers plenty of punch. With its simple layout and four knobs for effortless control, it makes an ideal accompaniment for thrash, metalcore and grunge music styles.
The HM-2 was the original amp-in-a-box pedal that pioneered Swedish Death Metal. Simply turn all knobs to their maximum level and plug it into a good tube amp to achieve that iconic raspy buzzsaw tone.
Fender Metalhead
The Fender Metalhead distortion pedal is designed for heavy metal guitarists looking for some added bite in their guitar sound. Though not offering as much EQ shaping functionality as other distortion pedals do, its powerful tone and straightforward control set make it an essential addition to any metal guitarist’s pedalboard.
The Metalhead pedal provides an array of controls, from gain and volume adjustments to low/high EQ controls for tailoring tone. Furthermore, its boost switch adds even more gain to your signal for maximum versatility – creating everything from clean distortion to pure death metal in no time at all! Easily visible on stage thanks to a compact size and its blue LED indicator light.
Behringer Fullbore Metal pedal is another excellent option for metal players on a budget, offering similar mighty tone and basic control set as its more costly counterpart, the Fender Metalhead. Plus, this pack comes complete with additional Behringer pedals suitable for other styles of music!
If you prefer the sounds of vintage music, consider trying the Tube Screamer distortion pedal. Its versatile use extends across many genres but particularly well suits metal music thanks to its ability to produce extra saturation through amplifier saturation controls while its treble control helps cut through distortion.
EHX Big Muff was initially developed for use by legendary Swedish death metal band Bathory and can produce its signature sound by simply cranking all knobs to maximum. Additionally, its sensitivity controls allow users to easily achieve a variety of tones using various tones – plus there’s even an affordable Nano version that makes life simpler!
Electro-Harmonix OD-200
If you’re in search of a metal distortion pedal, the OD-200 could be just the right fit. With features such as its gate circuit and multi-function parameter knob, which provide more control over tone while making operation simpler, this pedal makes a perfect addition to any pedalboard at an attractive price point.
This pedal is ideal for anyone seeking an authentic metal sound, particularly thrash and death metal. It features an innovative EQ to adjust frequency of highs and lows as well as gain control to dial in desired levels of distortion – ideal for beginner guitarists! Plus its simple design makes this an easy product to use!
The pedal’s EQ controls offer you plenty of choices for creating and shaping your sound, while its gate circuit is very useful in eliminating unwanted noise and keeping your signal clear when not playing – crucial components in metal guitar playing. Furthermore, this model comes equipped with multiple modes that make it suitable for various musical genres from heavy metal through thrash and death metal music styles.
Although small in size, this pedal packs quite the punch. Capable of producing an array of tones–from clean overdrive to distorted thrash–this simple design pedal makes an excellent first pedal for beginners while boasting enough power to satisfy experienced players as well.
Behringer UM300 distortion pedal offers incredible versatility as a metal distortion solution, featuring multiple settings to accommodate any style of metal music and other genres such as hard rock. Furthermore, this pedal boasts special features that set itself apart from similar pedals such as its integrated gate and high-quality output.
The Wampler Dracarys pedal was designed as an affordable alternative to the more costly Centaurs. Its spiky clipping tone and amp-like EQ make it suitable for metal lead tones; however, it lacks high gain levels of other metal pedals as well as having no parametric mids control which would have made it more versatile.
Digitech Distortion Petal
At such an economical price point, the Digitech Distortion Petal boasts many features to make it one of the top distortion pedals for metal music. It has knobs for gain and distortion level as well as Low/Mid/Hi EQ control to shape tone – this makes creating everything from traditional metal soundscapes to buzzsaw distortion in Abbath easy! Furthermore, this pedal can add an edge to clean tones.
The BOSS HM-2 was first made popular among death metal guitarists during the early 80s as an “amp-in-a-box” pedal that replicated stack amp sounds popular with metal musicians. Today’s updated HM-2W version boasts improved sound and new features; at lower gain settings it remains full while increasing distortion can bring some serious aggression – perfect for all genres of metal from hardcore thrash to djent!
This pedal is an essential piece for any metal musician. Featuring multiple settings and user-friendliness, this pedal makes an excellent starter or budget pedal choice with built-in EQ that eliminates external EQ pedals; furthermore it has great look and feel as well. While not as flexible as other distortion pedals, this option remains a solid choice for metal musicians.
The DF-7 pedal from Digitech’s GENETX technology provides seven distortion modes all at once, giving an amazing array of tones ranging from sharp attacks perfect for thrash metal to searing gain-laden assaults ideal for death metal. Furthermore, output 1 can also be routed as an amp simulated line out for direct recording – ideal for anyone wanting to avoid hauling their amp along. Plus it’s highly durable and rugged!
Hammett’s Distortion
Are You Into Metal Music? A Distortion Pedal Will Help
The Kirk Hammett Distortion pedal is ideal for metalheads looking for high-gain distortion with noise gate capabilities. Developed in partnership between KHDK Electronics (a company dedicated to creating effects pedals specifically tailored for guitar players) and Kirk Hammett himself (lead guitarist for Metallica), it boasts one of his signature pedals with KHDK Electronics’ expertise in effects pedal design for guitar.
Its stompbox features are what set it apart from other distortion pedals. An EQ feature lets you control lows, mids, and highs in your sound; this can be especially helpful if you use multiple amps or use different pickup types. Furthermore, there’s also a boost knob which gives the pedal an amplified tone.
MXR’s HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal is another fantastic metal distortion pedal with its distinctive chainsaw tone that suits death metal music perfectly, as well as three band EQ that lets you sculpt your tone to suit. Ideal for those interested in playing metal without breaking the bank on expensive pedals.
This pedal boasts an eye-catching classic look, making it obvious it was created by a company passionate about metal music. Though its tone may not be as aggressive or heavy as other pedals on this list, it remains an excellent option for anyone interested in playing metal.
The JHS Angry Charlie is a versatile Marshall-in-a-box pedal that offers everything from light crunch to searing solos. With plenty of EQ options and its Doom knob for providing low end grunt for bassy palm mutes, it makes an excellent option for metalheads looking for powerful distortion at an affordable price point.