Favorite HM-2 tones?

[Rex_Rocker]

Wondering what you all like from this mythical pedal.

For me, No. 1 would have to be Slaughter of the Soul:

I know this is not an HM-2 on its own, but what an iconic record. I am biased, though. Probably my favorite record from my favorite band.


Second would have to be Left Hand Path:

IMO, that is the Swedish Death Metal album.


Although, not very Trve of myself, but I'm partial to the tone in Wolverine Blues, TBH.

 

[Cynical]

"The Nocturnal Silence" will forever be the king of the Sunlight Studio albums.

Also, gotta self promote some -- the guitar on my band's first demo (https://condemner.bandcamp.com/album/omens-of-perdition) was HM-2 fueled (and then badly mixed by me hahaha).

 

[Aceman]

I actually really like the HM-2 with the gain turned wayyyyy down. I call it Mr. Growley.

 

[dave74]

HM-2 also handles a boost amazingly well. It also works great as a boost itself, but it's definitely an unconventional boost.
The all knobs on max thing is cool as one element of a blended guitar tone, but by itself it just sounds like utter shit IMO, although Sunlight was able to harness it in a variety of ways that sounded great. To me though it's not a very enjoyable tone to play through when set at all max.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I honestly agree with you guys.

I'm pretty sure that's how the HM-2 was used in the SOTS tone. It's the HM-2 boosting an MT-2, I believe. Gain probably kept low, and both those pedals don't really have a lot of range for low-ish gain settings, LOL. And definitely not the usual chainsaw settings. I actually find in mine, you only really get the chainsaw thing going if you crank the H color knob past like 2:00-ish. Otherwise, it sounds like a standard-ish distortion pedals before you reach those settings.

And I'm pretty sure it's not set to max on the Wolverine Blues tone. Sounds a lot more controlled there.

Like I said, I really like to keep the settings conservative in mine as well. I feel to get the chainsaw thing going, you just gotta turn on the H knob a bit, but not to 10. I personally like to keep the gain as low as I can without the palm-mutes sounding weak, the L knob around 12:00-ish to keep things tight, the H knob high to get the chainsaw going, the level up to have unity gain, and then dropping some more gain from something Recto-ish. It's still a mean ugly sound, but it's got more control than with all the knobs at 10.

Then again, I do find it fun to play through with the knobs at 10 as well, LOL.

 

[DankStar]

Slaughter of the soul was a metal zone

its in here somewhere:
https://youtu.be/Xfv1EcQ532w

If dismember used an hm-2 on the “death metal” album that’d be my favorite

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Slaughter of the soul was a metal zone

its in here somewhere:
https://youtu.be/Xfv1EcQ532w

If dismember used an hm-2 on the “death metal” album that’d be my favorite

Well, IIRC, there was an interview where there was mention of them using an HM-2 boosting an MT-2. However, you're right, in the video, they make no mention of the MT-2.

I'll see if I can find the source.

 

[dave74]

That is exactly right about the chainsaw buzz coming from the H set high. It varies entering between 2:00 and 3:00 and of course gets more intense from there up. Because of that you can still get some of the saw even when using the HM-2 as a boost. A little thump from the L knob is great too when boosting.

I like it best though as a regular distortion pedal (below the buzz-point on the H knob) being clean-boosted by my focus pedal or an EQ, or anything cleaner and wider than a screamer.

 

[El Dunco]

Why does it make that sound assuming the eq is after the distortion?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Why does it make that sound assuming the eq is after the distortion?

It's the EQ curve.