If you’re looking for some of the best pedals for hard rock and heavy metal, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s in-depth guide, I’m going to highlight some of the coolest and most affordable effects suitable for these genres.
Honestly, finding the good and reliable pedals for this kind of music isn’t that easy. The reason is simple – there are just so many pedals out there! Things can get easily confusing, especially if you don’t know too much about guitar effects.
That’s why I decided to create a list of 10 best pedals for hard rock and heavy metal! The list includes effects of all types, so you’ll find here some of the greatest overdrive, distortion, fuzz, chorus and delay pedals. Of course, the sound demos are included as well.
1. BOSS DS-2
BOSS DS-2 Turbo Distortion is one of the most popular distortion pedals of all time. To be honest, it has everything you need in order to play some hard rock or heavy metal riffs and solos.
What makes it so special? Well, it’s really versatile! Whether you’re a rhythm or a lead guitarist, you will definitely benefit from adding this model to your own collection. The Turbo Distortion has two modes: warm and mild with a flat frequency response as well as screaming and spicy with mid-boost.
Additionally, the DS-2 is really easy to use and it’s built like a brick, so it will be really tough to break it. Surely, all gigging musicians will appreciate the high durability of that effect.
Although it’s not the cheapest distortion pedal in the world, it’s definitely a really safe bet. You just can’t go wrong with it – it exceeds all the expectations! That’s why I highly recommend checking it out.
Here’s the sound demo.
2. Pro Co RAT2
Pro Co RAT2 is an another iconic distortion pedals suitable for the most demanding guitarists out there. No matter whether you’re into hard rock, grunge, heavy metal or alternative rock, you will definitely enjoy using that famous effect.
The RAT2 is one of the most versatile pedals on today’s list – it’s like having three separate overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals in one box. The versatility of that thing is absolutely amazing, so it’s not surprising that so many guitarists decide to choose it.
What’s important, it also features a really solid construction, so it’s a perfect pedal for anyone who plays live shows. Surely, if you decide to get it for yourself, it will last you for years to come.
I have to admit that the Pro Co RAT2 is one of my absolute favorites. It will be really tough to find a better and more efficient distortion pedal than this effect. It’s definitely worth every cent!
Here’s the demo.
3. Fender The Pugilist Distortion
Fender The Pugilist Distortion is an another fantastic guitar effect suitable for all lovers of hard rock and heavy metal. This is a dual overdrive and distortion pedal, so it’s basically like having two separate pedals in one box.
The Pugilist gives you access to a lot of amazing tones, so whether you’re looking for a subtle grit or a very punchy and aggressive distortion, it won’t disappoint you. It has two individual gain stages, so you can easily control the shape of your overdrive and distortion or you can run them in parallel!
Additionally, just like all other pedals manufactured by Fender, it’s built like a brick, so it’s extremely durable. Surely, it won’t be easy to break it, even during wild and crazy live gigs with your band!
Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
4. BOSS CE-2W
BOSS CE-2W is one of the best sounding chorus pedals that you can currently find on the market. It’s an upgraded version of the legendary CE-2 model which is one of the most iconic chorus pedals of all time.
What makes it so special? Well, it’s extremely versatile! It allows you to quickly switch between the legendary CE-1 and CE-2 chorus tones. So whether you’re looking for a classic 80’s chorus tone or something a bit more experimental, you will definitely be able to find it with the CE-2W.
Additionally, it’s really simple to use – it has only two controls (Rate and Depth). You may think that it’s not too much, but the truth is that it gives you access to a huge amount of interesting tones.
Although it’s not a cheap pedal, it’s definitely worth the money. I have no hesitation in recommending this chorus effect to all guitarists who are searching for the best pedals for hard rock and heavy metal.
Here’s the demo.
5. BOSS MT-2 Metal Zone
BOSS MT-2 Metal Zone is an another extremely popular distortion pedal among the lovers of metal music. It sounds great and it’s really versatile, so it’s not surprising that so many guitarists decide to keep it in their own pedalboards.
The MT-2 effect features a really unique dual-gain circuitry which gives you access to a lot of really powerful tones. It sounds really saturated with a super-long sustain, so as you can imagine – it’s perfect for heavy metal.
Additionally, BOSS decided to equip that model with a 3-band EQ which gives you even more control over shaping your distorted tone. This is a really important feature, especially if you’re often playing live or recording in the studio.
Undoubtedly, if you’re a lover of hard rock or heavy metal, there’s a high chance that it will be one of the most important pedals in your pedalboard. On top of that, it’s not overly expensive, so it definitely deserves a lot of attention.
Here’s the sound demo.
6. Ibanez TS808
Ibanez TS808 is one of the most iconic overdrive pedals of all time. No matter what kind of music you want to play, there’s a really high chance that you’ll really enjoy that tube-like vintage tone.
The TS808 Tube Screamer is really easy to use – it has only three controls (Overdrive, Tone and Level). It gives you a really thick and overdriven tube-style guitar sound. Surely, it’s one of the best overdrive pedals that you can choose for heavy metal and hard rock music.
It is also worth mentioning that the TS808 was frequently used in the past by a lot of legendary guitarists, so if you want to use the same gear as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alex Turner, John Mayer, Slash and Kirk Hammett, you should definitely add this pedal to your own pedalboard.
Here’s the sound demo.
7. Fender The Pelt Fuzz
If you’re into hard rock and heavy metal, you can also think about getting a good and reliable fuzz pedal. There are a lot of great fuzz pedals out there, but in my opinion Fender The Pelt Fuzz is one of the coolest ones that you can find. It’s one of my favorites!
In my opinion, this is a really underrated pedal – not many people are aware of how good and how versatile it actually is. Additionally, it’s built like a brick, so it should last you for years to come. Surely, it’s a fantastic choice for all gigging guitarists out there.
I have no hesitation in recommending the Pelt Fuzz to all guitar players who are searching for a high quality fuzz pedal suitable for rock, alternative rock, hard rock and heavy metal. There’s a really high chance that you’re going to love it!
Here’s the sound demo.
8. JHS 3 Series Delay
JHS 3 Series Delay is one of the most affordable and most efficient delay pedals that you can find under the $100 budget. It’s simple to use and it sounds great – who needs anything else?
This particular model allows you to easily set up the delay time between 80ms–800ms time range, so as you can imagine – the tonal possibilities are endless. Additionally, it’s built like a brick, so it should last you for years to come!
Surely, this pedal will be perfect not only for enthusiasts of hard rock and heavy metal, but also of other genres such as indie, alternative rock, emo and shoegaze. It’s definitely one of the best delay pedals that you can find at this price level!
Here’s the demo.
9. TC Electronic Hall Of Fame 2 Reverb
TC Electronic Hall Of Fame 2 is one of the best and most versatile reverb effects that are currently available on the market. No matter what kind of music you want to play, there’s a high chance that it will be one of your favorite pedals of this type.
The manufacturer equipped this pedal with eight different reverb modes: Room, Hall, Spring, Plate, Church, Shim, Mod and Lofi. As you can imagine, the versatility of that pedal is absolutely amazing! It gives you access to an indefinite amount of great tones.
It’s not the cheapest reverb pedal in the world, but it’s definitely worth the money. In my opinion, the Hall Of Fame 2 is one of the best reverb pedals for hard rock and heavy metal that you can currently find on the market.
Here’s the sound demo.
10. Behringer UM300
Behringer UM300 Ultra Metal is an another really cool pedal recommended for all lovers of hard rock and heavy metal music. It’s cheap and it sounds pretty good, so it’s not surprising that so many metal enthusiasts decide to add it to their own pedalboards.
What makes it so special? Well, the UM300 gives you access to the extra-dense tube-style distortion. Additionally, there’s also a 3-band EQ that gives you even more control over shaping your tone. Surely, you’ll all appreciate the versatility of that cheap pedal!
The only disadvantage of that pedal is the cheap plastic construction – it’s not the most durable pedal in the world. It may not be as durable as effects made by BOSS, Fender or TC Electronic, but it still offers a really good value for the money.
Undoubtedly, Behringer UM300 is one of the best cheap distortion pedals for hard rock and heavy metal that you can currently find on the market. That’s why I highly recommend checking it out!
Here’s the demo.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of fantastic guitar pedals suitable for hard rock and heavy metal music. I’m sure that if you decide to choose at least one of the effects mentioned above, you will be really happy with your choice. All of these pedals are great!
Which pedals would you choose and why? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful and you found what you were hoping to find. If you enjoyed this article and you’re searching for more gear recommendations, you may also like:
