Great video and pedal. Pre & post gain eqs are the real trick to shape distortion tones. Actually, modeling of non-linear dynamic systems uses the same approach called Hammerstein-Wiener model (used in amp modelers but also physics simulation) where a non-linear block is sandwiched in between two filters : one pre IR filter and one post IR filter... Interesting to note that the digital and analog world use the same methods overall.
Must be something in the air because you're the 2nd person I've spoken to this week who had mentioned Hammerstein Weiner models! Non-linear dynamics are where the fun is after all.
😮 loved every tone… and then you played “Walk” 🤯🤯🤯. Girth-Grit and a Velvet Hammer, that will haunt me for WEEKS!! 🤪💀. BRUTAL BUT refined. Now I got some Savin’ ta doo!! 🤑
Nice deep dive on the HM, especially the EQ order explanation! Sounds great, and I believe the gate can also be used standalone. How would one exactly use the gate side chain? I’m trying to picture the signal flow, where would the other input come from?
Much appreciated! With the gate you'd need to split your signal, but since the key input is 1/8in I suspect they imagine some creative uses like sidechaining it to other instruments or eurorack?
Ah I see, gotta look into it a bit more then. Would be nice to have more info or examples in their manual on how to use, especially for guitar players who normally just plug in and out. Pedals that include multiple routing examples in their manuals have helped me experiment a lot more with different ways of using my gear. Anyway, love your work!
That sounds killer.... very interesting hearing in the small combo tho. Fair bit of difference. I haven't played around with distortion pedals for quite some time... metal zone and ds1 were the go when I stated 😅 I do have a 5150 pedal on the way so I'm curious how that will sound compared to the amp. But is that an overdrive or a distortion?
MT-2 is still distortion royalty in my opinion. I have a decent collection of dirt pedals (maybe forty) and after 30 years with it, there are still certain tones it alone can do.
@@LeonTodd yeah i still have an mt2 in the loop of the satch...mostly for nostalgia reasons.... clean green on that is pretty much like going into the fx return with the zone. had to finally get a 5150 to complete the set 😅
Pre/post eq is a definite winner. Pardon the bad pun, but that Weight control adds just the right amount of girth. And the combination of that and the little Kustom was a surprising treat. Nice, and nice demo as usual.
Empress make great gear. I’ve had/have 3 of their boxes, and they’ve all been top notch. Not sure I’m into the brutality of this pedal but it seems to be right up your alley Leon.
@justisjustis well, I have since purchased a Chug, and even though I'm a big fan of Ola Englund, so far, I am not a fan of the Chug. I bought an Ampworx Dual Wreck at the same time, and I like that a lot more. I am very interested in how the Chug compares to this Empress Heavy.
@@bretttrommler756 I am right with you on the Chug. I found that the Chug is essentially a shortcut to a very specific tone that it can nail, but so far doesn't feel great playing or listening to in the room with the amp. It seems to be designed to fit a guitar into a metal mix. I haven't heard of the Ampworx Dual Wreck but I will right now! I will also let you know how the Heavy Menace is.
@@bretttrommler756 I will add, I am trying out the Soldano pedal this afternoon. I also recently had a KSR Vesta which I liked, but did sell. It was very functional, and sounded great, but I know that an Axe-Fx will be part of my rig in the future so I can achieve those tones again with that.
@@bretttrommler756 alright tried the Soldano and the Heavy Menace. I mean it when I say the Menace makes the Soldano feel like a cheap toy. The contol on the Menace is absolutely incredible, I have never used anything like it. The Soldano essentially is on or off, the controls have no real effect on the pedal. Trust me, the Menace is incredible.
I’d love to see you do a shootout between this and the Lichtlaerm Gehenna pedal. They both seem to be feature rich and in a league of their own. Which do you prefer?
After last distortion pedal. My gain section is,.. JHS Morning Glory v4 into JHS Angry Charlie v2 into Empress Heavy Menace into Empress Para eq. I am loving stacking the morning glory into the Heavy Menace with gate on. Magnificent.
You’re a legend Leon ! Keep up the good work fellow Aussie !
Much appreciated mate!
What a great sounding little pedal! Thanks for the great demo!
I got one about a month ago. I absolutely love it! I run it through my Fender Bassbreaker 45 and it's beautiful.
Great video and pedal. Pre & post gain eqs are the real trick to shape distortion tones. Actually, modeling of non-linear dynamic systems uses the same approach called Hammerstein-Wiener model (used in amp modelers but also physics simulation) where a non-linear block is sandwiched in between two filters : one pre IR filter and one post IR filter... Interesting to note that the digital and analog world use the same methods overall.
Must be something in the air because you're the 2nd person I've spoken to this week who had mentioned Hammerstein Weiner models! Non-linear dynamics are where the fun is after all.
Awesome. I keep hearing high on fire tones. 🔥
Big time! Matt would love this thing
Yes The Heavy Menace It's a awesome distortion and gate pedal at the same time Glad that i already have the Heavy Menace
😮 loved every tone… and then you played “Walk” 🤯🤯🤯. Girth-Grit and a Velvet Hammer, that will haunt me for WEEKS!! 🤪💀. BRUTAL BUT refined.
Now I got some Savin’ ta doo!! 🤑
idk how to explain it but the tones in this video remind me of something i'd hear in an early 2000's ps2 game soundtrack
That combo sounds GREAT with that pedal/mic setup, really impressive
Such a fun little amp. Really impressive.
Weight up, bass down, that's the way I like to chug
😁😁😁🤘🤘🤘🙏 heavy Brettal likey! ...plus they managed to capture my likeness perfectly on the graphics...love the EQ range...and noise gate.
🤣
Nice deep dive on the HM, especially the EQ order explanation! Sounds great, and I believe the gate can also be used standalone. How would one exactly use the gate side chain? I’m trying to picture the signal flow, where would the other input come from?
Much appreciated! With the gate you'd need to split your signal, but since the key input is 1/8in I suspect they imagine some creative uses like sidechaining it to other instruments or eurorack?
Ah I see, gotta look into it a bit more then. Would be nice to have more info or examples in their manual on how to use, especially for guitar players who normally just plug in and out.
Pedals that include multiple routing examples in their manuals have helped me experiment a lot more with different ways of using my gear. Anyway, love your work!
I thought I wouldn't need any more distortion pedals after I got the Revv G3. Boy, I was wrong.
My wallet says "Thank you, Leon!"
The struggle is real bro :p
I have no idea why I sold my original Empress Heavy. Great demo as always!
Yeah I've got many a pedal like that. Gear regrets!
@LeonTodd That might make a good episode. Gear Regrets, seller and buyers remorse, lol.
That sounds killer.... very interesting hearing in the small combo tho. Fair bit of difference. I haven't played around with distortion pedals for quite some time... metal zone and ds1 were the go when I stated 😅 I do have a 5150 pedal on the way so I'm curious how that will sound compared to the amp. But is that an overdrive or a distortion?
5150 into the FX loop goes great! Same with the mt2
MT-2 is still distortion royalty in my opinion. I have a decent collection of dirt pedals (maybe forty) and after 30 years with it, there are still certain tones it alone can do.
@@LeonTodd yeah i still have an mt2 in the loop of the satch...mostly for nostalgia reasons.... clean green on that is pretty much like going into the fx return with the zone. had to finally get a 5150 to complete the set 😅
Pre/post eq is a definite winner. Pardon the bad pun, but that Weight control adds just the right amount of girth. And the combination of that and the little Kustom was a surprising treat. Nice, and nice demo as usual.
That little amp goes hard hey
Empress make great gear. I’ve had/have 3 of their boxes, and they’ve all been top notch. Not sure I’m into the brutality of this pedal but it seems to be right up your alley Leon.
Really impressed with the build quality and feel on them. The Para-EQ is very well put together too.
I wonder how this one compares to say, a Solar Chug?
I’ll be able to tell you this week
@justisjustis well, I have since purchased a Chug, and even though I'm a big fan of Ola Englund, so far, I am not a fan of the Chug. I bought an Ampworx Dual Wreck at the same time, and I like that a lot more. I am very interested in how the Chug compares to this Empress Heavy.
@@bretttrommler756 I am right with you on the Chug. I found that the Chug is essentially a shortcut to a very specific tone that it can nail, but so far doesn't feel great playing or listening to in the room with the amp. It seems to be designed to fit a guitar into a metal mix. I haven't heard of the Ampworx Dual Wreck but I will right now! I will also let you know how the Heavy Menace is.
@@bretttrommler756 I will add, I am trying out the Soldano pedal this afternoon. I also recently had a KSR Vesta which I liked, but did sell. It was very functional, and sounded great, but I know that an Axe-Fx will be part of my rig in the future so I can achieve those tones again with that.
@@bretttrommler756 alright tried the Soldano and the Heavy Menace. I mean it when I say the Menace makes the Soldano feel like a cheap toy. The contol on the Menace is absolutely incredible, I have never used anything like it. The Soldano essentially is on or off, the controls have no real effect on the pedal. Trust me, the Menace is incredible.
I’d love to see you do a shootout between this and the Lichtlaerm Gehenna pedal. They both seem to be feature rich and in a league of their own. Which do you prefer?
They cover lots of similar ground but this one leans more to stoner/doom stuff while the Gehenna will lean more towards thrash/black metal tones IMO
Heavy for sure eh..it would be a cool demo between this setup and the freyette deliverence 2 amp
Great pedal great review,are this pedal good to play Grunge?
Absolutely
@@LeonTodd tkanks a lot my frind keep rocking
How does this Pedal sound straight into a Fender like clean amp, like a hot rod or deluxe? Heavier tones still possible with such an amp?
It sure has tons of gain
Dude, can this pedal do Kurt Cobain? Asking for a friend
Which do you prefer, this or the Lichtlaerm Gehenna? Thanks
Gehenna for hard rock/thrash, this for sludge/doom
That sounded disgusting in the best kind of way
Distortion pedals shouldn't be this good hey
I just knew that I desperately needed another pedal.
Didn’t you?
Is the para eq before the menace?
After last distortion pedal.
My gain section is,..
JHS Morning Glory v4 into
JHS Angry Charlie v2 into
Empress Heavy Menace into
Empress Para eq.
I am loving stacking the morning glory into the Heavy Menace with gate on.
Magnificent.
*You never demo these things in the front of an AXEFX AMP, WHY?*
nice video and pedal
Appreciate it mate!
Thanks for the ir😊
My pleasure 😊
Very interesting!!!!!!!
Awesome
Nice
It sounds like a chainsaw and I can tell you that type of distortion lives in the cymbal frequency range. Crap for live mixing.
So you’re saying that despite the numerous EQ tweaking parameters on here that this pedal can only exist in the cymbal frequency range?