Boss HM-2
| Boss HM-2 | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Boss |
| Manufacturer | Roland Corporation |
| Dates | 1983—1991 (Original) 2020—present (Waza Craft) |
| Price | $90 (Original launch) |
| Technical specifications | |
| Effects type | Distortion pedal |
| Controls | |
| Pedal control | Distortion (Dist), highs (H), lows (L), output volume (level), standard and custom mode (Waza Craft) |
| Input/output | |
| Inputs | mono |
| Outputs | mono |
The Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal was a distortion pedal manufactured by Boss from October 1983 until October 1991. Designed to emulate a Marshall stack, it became associated with Swedish death metal and gained a cult following in the heavy metal scene.
Background[edit]
The Boss HM-2 was first issued in October 1983. It was originally manufactured in Japan from 1983 until 1988 and then in Taiwan from 1988 until 1991.[1] It was designed to emulate the mid-range response of a Marshall stack.[2] The HM-2 is based on Boss's DS-1. Despite achieving moderate success in the glam metal scene, the pedal was discontinued in 1991; it was succeeded by the HM-3 Hyper Metal and MT-2 Metal Zone, the latter of which became a commercial success and top-selling Boss pedal.[2]
Since its discontinuance, the HM-2 has become one of the most demanded pedals of the Boss back catalogue.[3][1][2] Guitarist and record producer Kurt Ballou has been cited as an influence for the pedal's resurgence[4] and bands such as Nails and Rotten Sound have also appropriated the pedal's sound for different extreme metal styles.[5]
In 2020, Boss Corporation president Yoshi Ikegami announced that the pedal would be reissued as a part of the Waza Craft pedal series under the name Boss HM-2W. For the reissue, the company also established a Facebook group to seek design feedback from the fanbase.[6][5] The prototype of the HM-2W was tested by Ola Englund. The Waza Craft version added standard and custom mode to the Boss HM-2W.
Swedish death metal[edit]
Leif Cuzner of Swedish death metal band Nihilist used the pedal with the controls "dimed," and bands like Entombed, Dismember, and Bloodbath followed suit. Many Swedish bands have used the HM-2 with a Peavey amp to achieve this sound. In the 1990s, the pedal attracted a cult following in the underground heavy metal scene due to its formative influence over the Swedish death metal sound.[7] Entombed's 1990 album, Left Hand Path, cemented its use in the scene.[6]
At the Gates's 1995 album, Slaughter of the Soul, combined the Boss HM-2 with Boss MT-2 and Boss SD-1.
Many HM-2 pedals, especially ones made in Japan, have been collected by the guitarists of Entombed and Dismember.[citation needed]
Controls[edit]
According to Michael Astley-Brown of Guitar World, compared to the other distortion pedals, the pedal offered "radically versatile low and high ‘Color Mix’ EQ controls with 20 dB of boost/cut."[3]
Notable users[edit]
Notable users of the pedal include:
- Mika Aalto[8]
- Michael Amott[9]
- Anders Björler[10]
- David Blomqvist[2]
- Justin Broadrick[2]
- Uffe Cederlund[2][11]
- The Chemical Brothers (with a Juno-106)[12]
- Leif “Leffe” Cuzner[2]
- Nico Elgstrand[13]
- Niclas Engelin[14]
- Ola Englund[15]
- Per Eriksson[16]
- Euronymous[17]
- David Gilmour[2][5]
- G. C. Green[18]
- Alex Hellid[2][19]
- Christofer Johnsson[20]
- Todd Jones[2]
- Martin Larsson[10]
- Glenn Ljungström[15]
- Rabea Massaad[21]
- Guilherme Miranda[13]
- Anders Nyström[2]
- David Parland[20]
- Mike Schleibaum[14]
- Robert Sennebäck[22]
- Tomas Skogsberg[14]
- Jesper Strömblad[15]
- Dan Swanö[2]
- Kristian Wåhlin[20]
- Justin York[23]
- Kurt Ballou[citation needed]
- Bilinda Butcher[citation needed]
- Nocturno Culto [citation needed]
- Hamish Glencross[citation needed]
- James Sedwards[citation needed]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Boss shares images of new Waza HM-2W cosmetic prototype on Facebook". Gearnews. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "BOSS Cult Classics". rolandcorp.com.au. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ a b Astley-Brown, Michael. "Boss confirms an HM-2 Heavy Metal reissue is in the works". Guitar World. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ Corfield, Chris. "The 10 coolest discontinued Boss pedals". Guitar World. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Boss is bringing the HM-2 Heavy Metal back from the dead as a Waza Craft reissue – and it wants your design input". MusicRadar. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ a b Seah, Daniel. "Here's a First Look At The Boss Hm-2 Waza Craft Reissue". guitar.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ Schneider, David (September 28, 2019). "The Buzzsaw Riffs of the Stockholm Scene". Premier Guitar. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ Rotten Sound on Facebook
- ^ a b The Greatest Boss Metal Zone MT-2 Moments
- ^ Greeves, David (Dec 2011). "Matt Cox: MIDI Tech for The Chemical Brothers". Sound On Sound. United Kingdom. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- ^ a b GEAR GODS RIGGED - Entombed A.D.
- ^ a b c HM-2: The Sound of Swedish Death Metal and Beyond
- ^ a b c SWEDISH DEATH METAL TONE
- ^ Bloodbath: Blood Brothers
- ^ Equipboard
- ^ "Bassically Speacking: Ben Green, Godflesh". Bass Guitar: 15. February 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016.
- ^ Hawkins, Chris. "Interview: Alex Hellid of Entombed". antiheromagazine.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c Boss HM-2
- ^ BOSS HM-2W | The Legend Returns
- ^ Dismember - Casket Garden (Robert Sennebäck Guitar Playthrough)
External links[edit]
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