Finding the best distortion pedal for metal music is hard because there are a ton of heavy, skull crushing overdrive guitar effects pedals to choose from. Plus, metal guitar riffs require a lot of different types of metal distortion pedals.
Sometimes you need something real heavy for breakdowns and other times you want something more overdriven for faster riffs. That’s why we made this comparison. We review all the top-rated metal overdrive and tube screamer pedals, so you can find exactly what you are looking for. Whether you want a classic Metallica or Slayer sound or something more modern, we’ll show you exactly what you should get.
Let’s jump in and check out some of the top metal distortions pedals on the market.
Click Below to Compare the Best Metal Distortion Pedals in 2020
Contents
- 1 Click Below to Compare the Best Metal Distortion Pedals in 2020
- 1.1 Horizon Devices Precision Drive Modern Overdrive Pedal
- 1.2 Friedman Amplification BE-OD Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
- 1.3 Wampler Tumnus V2 Overdrive & Boost Guitar Effects Pedal
- 1.4 JHS Bonsai 9-Way Screamer Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
- 1.5 Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff Distortion with Top Boost Guitar Pedal
- 1.6 Wampler Triple Wreck Modern Rectified Distortion Pedal
- 1.7 MXR M116 Fullbore Metal Distortion Pedal
- 1.8 Rocktron Metal Planet Distortion Pedal
- 1.9 TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion Effect Pedal
- 1.10 Boss MT-2 Metal Zone Distortion Guitar Pedal
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here is a list of the top distortion effects pedals for metal to give your pedalboard that heavy metal tone.
- Horizon Devices Precision Drive Modern Overdrive Pedal
- Friedman Amplification BE-OD Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
- Wampler Tumnus V2 Overdrive & Boost Guitar Effects Pedal
- JHS Bonsai 9-Way Screamer Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
- Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff Distortion with Top Boost Guitar Pedal
- Wampler Triple Wreck Modern Rectified Distortion Pedal
- MXR M116 Fullbore Metal Distortion Pedal
- Rocktron Metal Planet Distortion Pedal
- TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion Effect Pedal
- Boss MT-2 Metal Zone Distortion Guitar Pedal
Horizon Devices Precision Drive Modern Overdrive Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
When this pedal was introduced to the market, all metalheads rushed to buy themselves one. Why? Because it’s one of the most up-to-date dirt boxes.
The pedal has five control knobs: Attack, Volume, Bright, Drive, and Gate. Yeah, you got that right; the Horizon Precision has an integrated Noise-gate!
The Volume knob on this pedal is something special – six on the Precision Drive would be something like ten on the classic dirt pedals.
The Attack knob is actually a six-way rotary switch that allows you to fine-tune the punch on your tone.
The Bright tone is where you control your highs – the Precision drive is famous for keeping the low-end from your signal, so you will only need the Bright knob for setting your frequency response. The Drive is pretty self-explanatory, right?
The noise gate will keep your rig quiet in the musical pauses, making it perfect for both on stage and in the studio.
Pros and Highlights
- Powerful! – If you are into Djent or similar genres, and you need some tightening and grit this unit is perfect for you! Hey, modern metal players, save up some money, Horizon is knocking on your door!
- Noise-gate – This is a great feature on overdrive pedal… No further explanations are needed, right?
- Boosts like an m*********r – The volume knob on this pedal is something special…
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Pricey – The pedal is not the cheapest one.
Bottom line
The Horizon Precision Drive is really a special pedal. With the Attack, Volume, Bright, and Drive control knobs, you have one of the most precise drive pedals under your foot.
And the Noisegate feature is something beyond amazing – something we all crave for!
The Horizon Precision Drive is built like a tank, and it has all the features a modern metal guitar player would want. It is a bit pricey, but the quality and control over your grit you will get with this unit is more than amazing.
Friedman Amplification BE-OD Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
Based on the legendary Friedman BE-100 amplifier, the BE-OD delivers one of the most authentic drives out there.
The pedal has six control knobs on it for ultimate dirt shaping experience: Bass, Treble, Presence, Volume, Gain, and Tight. The Bass, Treble, and Presence knobs can reduce or boost the frequencies. The Tight control knobs are actually a High-pass filter that will tighten up the punch of your tone.
The pedal is true bypass and can be powered by 9V or 18V DC adaptor.
Pros and Highlights
- Lots of control – The control knobs allow you to shape your drive to the finest
- Great sound – The pedal sounds amazing! From a mellow, soft drive to aggressive distortion, the BE-OD has your back covered.
- Great build quality – The pedal will take the beatings without a single teardrop, and is probably going to ask for more!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- You might stop buying distortion pedals – Is this a flaw? 🙂
Bottom line
The Friedman BE-OD is a versatile, compact, sturdy-built, top-notch distortion pedal. The six control knobs allow you to shape your dirt to the finest. And you may stop scrolling on Amazon for distortion pedals. Great pedal!
Wampler Tumnus V2 Overdrive & Boost Guitar Effects Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The Wampler Tumnus V2 is a small and compact overdrive pedal, but don’t let the small size fool you, this unit can get crazy drive tone out of your rig!
The pedal is pretty easy to tune in, as it has only three control knobs: Gain, Volume, and Treble. The pedal has an amazing sound, and you can use as a stand-alone overdrive pedal, you can stack it with another distortion, or use it as a booster, it will serve you as you want to!
The pedal has buffered bypass, just like the Klon Centaur (the Tumnus was inspired by the legendary Klon Centaur pedal) to replicate its famous sound. The pedal is powered by a 9V power adaptor.
Pros and Highlights
- Small and Compact – This pedal can easily fit in your pocket and on your crowded pedalboard
- Amazing tone – The Wampler Tumnus was built to recreate the sound of the legendary Klon Centaur from the 90′, and it’s pretty close – some players say it sounds even better!
- Easy to use, responsive – You can use this pedal for multiple needs, and it’s very easy to set it – it has only three control knobs and you can set this thing in seconds!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Confused – The sound this pedal has is pretty unique, but many players are not satisfied with it. We suggest doing good research before buying any pedal, not just this one.
Bottom line
Small and compact, sturdy, nice-sounding overdrive guitar pedal. The controls of this unit are responsive and intuitive – you can set your desired sound in seconds. However, we suggest trying before buying, and doing good research before buying pedals, because there are a lot of players who are disappointed after they bought this. This pedal is a clone of the Klon Centaur and has pretty much the same sound. You might love it, but you might also hate it.
Try it, before you buy it!
JHS Bonsai 9-Way Screamer Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The JHS Bonsai was directly inspired by the Tube Screamer, and with that said, this pedal replicates nine variations of the famous Tube Screamer.
The pedal has three control knobs, Volume, Drive, and Tone, and a rotary switch that lets you choose your Tube Screamer model.
The rotary switch has nine modes, which actually are nine Tube Screamer circuit models. Amazing right? A Tube Screamer party if you want to put it that way.
Pros and Highlights
- Versatile – You have nine Tube Screamer models in one single box!
- Amazing quality – JHS are pretty known for the quality of their products. This pedal is top-notch, both in build and sound quality.
- Compact – Imagine putting nine different pedals in a row on your pedalboard. Well, you don’t need to do that if you have the Bonsai
Cons and Potential Flaws
- No cons – The pedal does what it is advertised for!
Bottom line
If you are a Tube Screamer fan, and you can’t get enough of it, the Bonsai will fill that hole in your heart. This is the ultimate Tube Screamer pedal! Nine in one? How cool is that?
It’s not cheap, of course, but come on, imagine buying those nine pedals… How much would that cost? Huh? The Bonsai is so much cheaper than that! The JHS Bonsai is a great, top-notch build and sound quality distortion pedal.
Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff Distortion with Top Boost Guitar Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff is advertised as the “ultimate metal distortion pedal”, and there is truth to that! This pedal is all that you’ll need if you are a guitar player in a metal band when it comes to distortion.
It has two footswitches: Boost, and Bypass. And six control knobs: Volume, Top Boost, Treble, Mid, Bass, and Distortion. The pedal has buffered bypass, and it can be powered by either a 9V battery or power adaptor.
Pros and Highlights
- Versatile – This pedal can provide a wide range of distortions, not just metal ones, from classic rock to the heaviest metal, you can get there with a few tweaks
- Easy to use – The controls of this pedal are pretty intuitive and simple. You can set your grit in seconds with the Metal Muff!
- Top Boost – You don’t need an additional booster pedal with this unit. You have the booster on-board.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Dies after some time – Many players reported that the pedal tends to cut off after some time of using, while others reported that the pedal completely died after a few months of playing with it. Some owners reported that the pedal started creating really loud hum after a short period of usage.
Bottom line
Many metalhead guitar players are completely in love with this unit. It’s versatile and you have a booster with it. However, many players reported having problems with this unit cutting off, dying, or starting to create loud hum/buzz noises.
The pedal is not too expensive, but why waste money? Not recommended.
Wampler Triple Wreck Modern Rectified Distortion Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The Wampler Triple Wreck is a high-quality built and versatile distortion pedal with some of the most aggressive sound distortions on the market.
This pedal has two footswitches, Bypass on the left, and Boost on the right side of the pedal. It has six control knobs: Volume, Boost Contour, Treble, Mids, Bass, and Gain. And a two-way switch that lets you choose between Hard and Brutal mode. The pedal is true bypass, and it can be powered by a 9V battery or a power adaptor.
Turn it on and Ride the lightning!
Pros and Highlights
- Versatile – The pedal has a wide range of different distortions in it.
- Boost – The pedal has a booster, and you can set your color on your boosted signal with the Boost Contour control knob.
- High quality – The pedal sounds great, and it’s handmade built with the finest components and materials in the U.S.A.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Expensive – The pedal is pricey, but it will satisfy your distortion hunger, so its probably worth the money;
Bottom line
If you are on a low budget, this is not the pedal you are looking for. But if you want the finest and probably heaviest distortion pedal, you’ve come across one of the potential winners in that race. The Wampler Triple Wreck is a handmade, high-quality, versatile distortion unit that will make many guitar players girlfriends jealous, as they will probably spend a lot of time playing with the unit. Amazing pedal!
MXR M116 Fullbore Metal Distortion Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The MXR M116 Fullbore is an all-analog circuitry, true bypass distortion pedal with a lot of versatility that allows the player to have a lot of control over his sound.
The pedal has six control knobs: Volume, Frequency, Gain, Low, Mid, and High. It also has two push buttons: Gate (for canceling the noise), and Scoop (for scooping out the mids). The pedal can be powered by 9V battery or by 9V power adaptor.
The MXR M116 sounds HUGE!
Pros and Highlights
- Versatile – The MXR M116 offers a lot of different sounding metal distortions
- Tons of control – The six control knobs, and the two push buttons are very responsive, and you can set your distortion the way you want it to sound with just a few tweaks
- High quality build – The pedal can stand a lot of beatings, kicks, and stomps, making it the perfect pedal for the touring guitar player
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Too much gain – Yes, we know this is a metal distortion pedal, but even for the heaviest metalheads too much gain is too much gain. Oh, you might enjoy that so this might not be a con or a flaw – just do decent research before buying this unit to stay away from disappointment;
Bottom line
If you are true metal guitar player this might be the right pedal for your guitar rig. It’s well made, it has a good amount of versatility in it, it’s compact, and it’s pretty affordable too.
Some players still think this unit has too much gain, so if you want something softer try some other pedal. If you are a metalhead, this thing will satisfy your distortion hunger.
Rocktron Metal Planet Distortion Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The Rocktron Metal Planet is specially designed for metal players, so if you are not into
metal skip this pedal with the speed of light.
It comes in a rugged metal case, that feels like is going to last a long, long time of using and abusing. The Metal Planet has these controls: Level, four-band EQ, and Distortion.
The Low and the High control knobs are set on top of each other, with the High being on the top. What is most interesting in this pedal is that it has separate controls for the Mid frequencies bite and a Mid EQ sweep. They are also set as outside and inside control knobs. This is making this pedal very versatile when it comes to controlling the frequency response in a distortion.
You can power this unit with a 9V battery or a 9V DC power adaptor.
Pros and Highlights
- Ultimate EQ control over your distortion – The four band EQ on this pedal allows EQ control of your distortion to the finest
- Amazing sound – The pedal sounds great – Huge if you want to put it this way
- Sturdy-built – The pedal is great for the touring metalhead
Cons and Potential Flaws
- It needs some time to master it – The EQ control knobs are very responsive, and with just a little tweak the sound changes a lot. So, you will need some time playing with them to master the pedal
Bottom line
Great pedal that offers a lot of versatility. The four-band EQ is something amazing on this pedal; it allows you to tune exactly the right amount of frequencies in your distorted sound. You might need some time playing with them to find your sweet spots, but this is nothing serious. You will probably have fun doing that! 🙂
The gain levels you can get out of this thing are over the top amazing!
TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion Effect Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The Dark Matter from TC Electronic is a compact and sturdy distortion guitar pedal that will provide you with the classic seventies and eighties rock guitar sounds.
It has four control knobs: Gain, Level, Bass, and Treble. And a two-way Voice switch, that lets you choose between a vintage sounding distortion and a modern one with some enhanced low frequency.
The pedal is true bypass, and it can be powered by either a 9V battery or a power adaptor.
Pros and Highlights
- Affordable – If you are on a budget, this might be the right pedal for you! And considering the price, this unit provides some kick-ass distortions!
- Versatile – The pedal’s control knobs and the two-way Voice switch allow you to set just the right sound of your taste
- Compact – The design of this unit is pedal-board friendly!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Not for everybody – Some players find this pedal weak in gain and not meeting their metal criteria. Many players love it, but others think they completely wasted their money.
Bottom line
The Dark Matter by TC Electronic is favored by many, and hated by many players too! We strongly recommend trying before buying and doing proper research before handling your money for a guitar pedal. Don’t watch just one review and then go for it! Dark Matter is a cool pedal. It is affordable, sturdy, compact, and sounds nice.
If you are on a budget, and you still want to add some grit to your guitar sound, this pedal might be the right choice for you, but also make sure to look at some other options too!
Boss MT-2 Metal Zone Distortion Guitar Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
Finally, the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone! Built in the standard Boss chassis, with the standard Boss quality, the Metal Zone is sturdily built and will last for decades.
The MT-2 has these controls: Level, Equalization, and Distortion. The High control knob is stacked on top of the Low control knob, and the Middle control knob is stacked on Mid Frequency control knob. The mid frequency is like a semi-parametric control knob. With these controls, the MT-2 is allowing the hard rock/metal players to have a rich tone shaping experience.
The pedal can be powered by a 9V battery or the Boss PSA adaptor.
Pros and Highlights
- Versatile – This pedal offers a wide pallet of distortions, just tweak those controls a bit!
- Sturdy, compact – There is no reason for further explanations for this fact, this is a Boss product!
- Affordable – This pedal is pretty affordable compared with the other pedals that do the same thing. And with the price in mind, this pedal has great sound!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Bad reputation, poor tone – This pedal has a pretty bad reputation on the internet, and there are a lot of dudes complaining about the pedal’s tone. However, there are many players that absolutely love this unit, and would buy it again, if their pedal broke.
Bottom line
Boss is a company famous for setting the quality standard of the pedals. The MT-2 is widely both loved and hated. If you are thinking about buying this pedal, we recommend trying it first. It is sturdy, versatile, and affordable, but some players really don’t like the tone of it. Good luck!
What We Recommend and Why
Our pick is the Friedman BE-OD because it is versatile, sturdy, high quality, great sounding distortion pedal. You can get one, and just forget about looking at other distortion pedals on the market. Great pedal, with an affordable price – having in mind the quality it provides.
You can’t go wrong with this one!
