Any New(ish) Higher Gain Pedals Worth Checking Out?

HT986M2

I'm looking for opinions on what is worth looking out for these days.  The following pedals still seem to reign supreme, but these are a good few years old now, so I have to assume there must be some more recent contenders.

Revv G3/G4
Friedman BE-OD Deluxe 
MXR EVH 5150 OD
Keeley Fillaments

I also have the Dawner Price Red Rox on the shortlist, but as it is more of a MIAB I suspect that will be in addition to a 'metal' pedal. 

I'm looking for a one and done hard rock/metal tone, taking me from clean to dirty.  Straight into the front of the amp.  I'm not interested in stacking pedals in this particular use case, or using it as a pre-amp via an FX return.  A mid control would be great.

I've previously had the Strymon Riverside and stupidly sold it a couple of years ago.  It was very versatile and did dip it's toe into metal territory.  I had the Waza Metal Zone, and it was good but not great.  I had a loan of an Amptweaker Tight Metal a good few years ago, and it was great in some amps but a bit 'meh' in others.

Any thoughts on what's out there?

matt_sefton

Suhr Riot

monquixote

MXR Super Badass

CarpeDiem

Empress Heavy - it’s not new to the market but would be worth you checking out.

MikkiMcMurderer

The Wampler Sovereign is very good - not new but it cuts through in a mix where as some of these hi gainers disappear when playing with a band.

Gassage

There's a Cornish GC-1 in classifieds. Amazing thing. I love mine.

HT986M2

CarpeDiem said:

Empress Heavy - it’s not new to the market but would be worth you checking out.

That's the kind of thing I'm after.  I've also found the Heavy Menace which appears to be a more compact version.  Single channel but with 3 voicing optoins and a more controllable noise gate

Going from the suggestions, it sounds like there hasn't been anything that's come to market recently then which has had the same impact as those in the initial post?

dindude

Marshall shredmaster reissue is £99 at Andertons 

HT986M2

Having watched a few videos, there's something about the Shredmaster that isn't my cup of tea.  Maybe it's just the videos I've come across, but it sounds a bit fizzy?

Aside from the Heavy Menace, the only other 'new' high gain pedal I've come across is the Victory Kraken V1.  If anyone has used either I would love some opinions.  

There is nowhere nearby where I could try both, and having not ordered and returned pedals online before, I'm not sure if a return would be accepted if I just don't gel with one (or both)?

stickyfiddle

I'm not a high gain guy but the Redbeard Red Mist looks ace

Kebabkid

The Sinvertek N5 is great and has plenty of toneshaping and gain range

bassbora

I have Wampler Triple Wreck but that’s not new and I never tried it in a band so don’t know how it would cut through or with different amps. 

But another pedal I am really impressed with is the Revival Drive Hot Rot compact. It has lots of gain and a lot of tone shaping ability. I am very impressed. 

CarpeDiem

bassbora said:

I have Wampler Triple Wreck but that’s not new and I never tried it in a band so don’t know how it would cut through or with different amps. 

But another pedal I am really impressed with is the Revival Drive Hot Rot compact. It has lots of gain and a lot of tone shaping ability. I am very impressed. 

I’ve used a Revival Drive Compact and an Empress Heavy in a band context, and both cut through in the mix. However, the Empress can do even higher gain. Both have a good level of controls allowing you to vary the sound. The Empress Heavy looks good although I haven’t tried one.

bassbora

CarpeDiem said:

bassbora said:

I have Wampler Triple Wreck but that’s not new and I never tried it in a band so don’t know how it would cut through or with different amps. 

But another pedal I am really impressed with is the Revival Drive Hot Rot compact. It has lots of gain and a lot of tone shaping ability. I am very impressed. 

I’ve used a Revival Drive Compact and an Empress Heavy in a band context, and both cut through in the mix. However, the Empress can do even higher gain. Both have a good level of controls allowing you to vary the sound. The Empress Heavy looks good although I haven’t tried one.

Was that the normal Drive or the HR? I have only tried the HR so I don’t know how they compare. I will have to check out the Empress 

CarpeDiem

bassbora said:

CarpeDiem said:

bassbora said:

I have Wampler Triple Wreck but that’s not new and I never tried it in a band so don’t know how it would cut through or with different amps. 

But another pedal I am really impressed with is the Revival Drive Hot Rot compact. It has lots of gain and a lot of tone shaping ability. I am very impressed. 

I’ve used a Revival Drive Compact and an Empress Heavy in a band context, and both cut through in the mix. However, the Empress can do even higher gain. Both have a good level of controls allowing you to vary the sound. The Empress Heavy looks good although I haven’t tried one.

Was that the normal Drive or the HR? I have only tried the HR so I don’t know how they compare. I will have to check out the Empress 

It’s the Hot Rod. 

bassbora

CarpeDiem said:

bassbora said:

CarpeDiem said:

bassbora said:

I have Wampler Triple Wreck but that’s not new and I never tried it in a band so don’t know how it would cut through or with different amps. 

But another pedal I am really impressed with is the Revival Drive Hot Rot compact. It has lots of gain and a lot of tone shaping ability. I am very impressed. 

I’ve used a Revival Drive Compact and an Empress Heavy in a band context, and both cut through in the mix. However, the Empress can do even higher gain. Both have a good level of controls allowing you to vary the sound. The Empress Heavy looks good although I haven’t tried one.

Was that the normal Drive or the HR? I have only tried the HR so I don’t know how they compare. I will have to check out the Empress 

It’s the Hot Rod. 

I looked at the Empress Heavy Menace today after you mentioned it and that looks like a great pedal. Maybe what OP is looking for?

digitalscream

The Bogner Ecstasy Red is an astonishingly good pedal - in fact, it's the only one I've ever had that can go toe-to-toe with my favourite high-gain amps.

Available in single- and double-switch versions, too (I prefer the double one with a volume + gain boost for solos).

HT986M2

Cheers for the input guys.  Almost too many to audition now!

The Empress Heavy Menace, Bogner Red Mini and Kraken V1 have definitely piqued my interest on the proper heavy side of things.  The Revival Drive Hot Rod does sound nice for that hot rodded Plexi thing, but it does come with quite a price-tag.

I'll just need to find a store with a good online returns policy now!

Doveholes

I've been wanting to try the Lichtlaerm Audio Gehenna. Joe's Pedals stocks them but it's currently sold out from him.