We were first introduced to KHDK Electronics, the brainchild of Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and industry pro David Karon, when they first started releasing pedals in 2016. The Ghoul Screamer is their take on the classic Tube Screamer, on steroids, and we really dug it. So we were pretty excited to dive into the Unicorn Blood II Octave Fuzz, a mammoth of a dirt pedal not for the tame or timid – this thing crushes eardrums and melts faces with authority.
The first version of the Unicorn Blood in 2018 became an instant collector’s item, limited to just 100 pieces worldwide. Thus, the need for this second iteration was born, and KHDK has delivered. Vintage-voiced yet modern, this octave fuzz brings the best tones of the 60s and 70s into the modern day. It entraps a classic retro fuzz, elevating it with tweakable features to create your own tonal blend.
Volume and Fuzz are the two most straightforward controls on the Unicorn Blood II, with Treble and Bass coming in a close second. Once you activate the Octave footswitch, the Octatone control acts like the tone knob on your guitar, sounding excellent with a neck pickup and low tone setting. The Fat switch shifts the EQ curve of the Treble and Bass controls, producing either fatter or more scooped mids. The Boost switch offers a gain boost, while Sludge adds loads of massive bottom end into the pre-distortion section.
The Unicorn Blood II Octave Fuzz uses discrete transistors and germanium diodes for an authentic, vintage fuzz tone. From straightforward rock to doom-y, stoner metal to all-out walls of octave-laden fuzz, the versatility shines through on this one. The wide range of each parameter allows you to really dial in the sound you’re after, or be able to wildly experiment to create sounds you’ve never heard before. Hell, if it’s good enough for Brent Hinds of Mastodon and Matt Pike from High On Fire, it’s good enough for us all! Cheers to Kirk, David and KHDK Electronics on a wonderfully diverse and sonically celebrated machine, one that’s sure to blow out speakers for years to come. Be sure to check out our demo below to get the scoop on this beast, and to hear it in action!
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