If you couldn’t tell from the name of the company, This Heavy Earth doesn’t make effects pedals for the timid. Focusing on the heavier side of things, names like Grim, Flesh Rot and Crustifixion let you know these pedals mean business. Today, we’re checking out the CHVRCHBVRNER, an Overdrive Distortion with a ton of controls to sculpt and shape genres from blues to death metal…and everything in between,
Right off the bat, you can see the CHVRCHBVRNER has a lot of control knobs, but they all play their part in creating these tones. Level controls the output volume, Pre controls the amount of soft clipping gain into the next gain stage and Post controls the amount of gain into the clipping section. The EQ section is comprised of High, which cuts/boosts the treble frequencies, Mid, which cuts/boosts the mid range frequencies and Low, which (you guessed it) cuts/boosts the bass frequencies. Further tone-shaping comes via the Pres(ence) knob, which sets the upper mid-range frequencies, while Tight sets the pre-gain low end frequencies.
BUT WAIT!!! There are also THREE toggles on the side of CHVRCHBVRNER, which add or remove clipping from the gain stages, which are interactive with the Pre and Post parameters. The Top toggle activates/removes soft clipping in Pre gain stage, the Middle toggle activates/removes soft clipping in second gain stage and the Bottom switch activates/removes hard clipping that follows Post gain stage. Experimenting with these, as well as the knob settings, will yield glorious and wide-ranging sonic results.
Not just a death or black metal machine, the CHVRCHBVRNER Overdrive Distortion paints a musical picture with many different brushes. If you really want your amp to sing, but sometimes need a little bit more gain and control over your sound, look no further. Don’t let the controls scare you, either – getting to know how this one works and plays is half the fun, as it should be with all pedals, right? Cheers to This Heavy Earth on a versatile effect that can do many jobs, as well as terrify innocent bystanders and onlookers. Be sure to visit their website for more details and gear, and crank up those headphones as you watch and listen to our demo below. Cheers!
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