The Electric Eye Audio Cannibal Unicorn is a boutique doom and sludge distortion pedal made in the USA. Premier Guitar covered it as a metal-oriented distortion with an unusually deep control set for the genre: a three-knob EQ section, two gain stages, and a Clarity control for trimming bass1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson called it "a Doom/Sludge distortion pedal with unusual note clarity and articulation"2.
Controls
The Cannibal Unicorn carries seven knobs, which is a lot for a distortion pedal and gives it more tonal range than the typical three-knob metal box. The signal path runs through a first gain stage, then the main gain, then the EQ1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain 1 | Adds volume and a bit of overdrive to the guitar's innate tone before the signal is tightened1 |
| Main Gain | Adds even more aggressive clipping1 |
| Bass | Bass EQ, part of the three-knob EQ section1 |
| EBM (Everything But Metal) | Mid control centered at 550Hz, part of the EQ section3 |
| Treble | Treble EQ, part of the EQ section1 |
| Clarity | Fine-tunes the amount of bass frequencies; listed by Guitar Pedal X as a bass cut1 |
| Volume | Master volume3 |
Karlsson's preferred settings push the gain stages hard: Volume, Bass, Main Gain, and Gain 1 all on maximum, EBM at noon, Treble at 10 o'clock, and Clarity at minimum2.
Power and bypass
The pedal runs on 9-volt DC from an external power supply and has no battery compartment, so it needs a spot on a standard pedalboard supply or a dedicated adapter1. Premier Guitar lists true bypass switching, so the pedal is out of the signal path entirely when off1.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's verdict was mixed on the marketing label but positive overall. Karlsson wrote that it is "Actually not really that Doomy and Sludgy - it's not quite high octane enough for those purposes as far as I'm concerned," while still calling it "a somewhat distinctly different Doom / Sludge pedal, which a lot of players seem to like already"23. His headline framing for the pedal emphasized its note clarity and articulation, qualities doom and sludge players often sacrifice for sheer weight2.
"This is overall a somewhat distinctly different Doom / Sludge pedal, which a lot of players seem to like already."
Availability and price
The Cannibal Unicorn debuted in 2024 and can be purchased through the Electric Eye Audio webstore12. Guitar Pedal X listed it at $210 in its roundup of the year's distortion pedals3. At the time of the January 2025 review, Electric Eye Audio also offered a limited-time bundle of the pedal with a T-shirt and sticker for the same price as the pedal alone2. For players comparing it within the maker's range, Electric Eye Audio also makes The Thrasher, a dedicated thrash metal distortion, so the Cannibal Unicorn sits on the slower, heavier side of the company's metal lineup. For other options in the category, see Distortion Pedals.
Videos
Electric Eye Audio
EytschPi42
Eric Merrow
Questions
Is the Electric Eye Audio Cannibal Unicorn true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar's news coverage of the pedal lists true bypass switching among its features. That means when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes straight through to the amp without any of the Cannibal Unicorn's circuitry in the way, which players with larger pedalboards generally look for in a distortion stage.
Does the Cannibal Unicorn have a battery compartment?
No. Premier Guitar notes the pedal has no battery compartment. It runs on 9-volt DC from an external power supply, so you will need a standard pedalboard power supply or a dedicated adapter rather than a battery.
What does the EBM knob do on the Cannibal Unicorn?
EBM stands for Everything But Metal, and Guitar Pedal X lists it as part of the pedal's three-knob EQ section alongside Bass and Treble, centered at 550Hz. It works the midrange, letting you shape or scoop the frequencies that sit between the bass and treble controls.
What does the Clarity knob do on the Cannibal Unicorn?
Premier Guitar describes the Clarity control as one that fine-tunes the amount of bass frequencies, and Guitar Pedal X lists it as a bass cut. In practice it lets you trim low end out of the distortion, which can help keep heavy chords from turning to mud.
Where is the Cannibal Unicorn made?
The Cannibal Unicorn is made in the USA, according to Premier Guitar's coverage of the pedal. Electric Eye Audio is described as a boutique maker, and the pedal is sold through the company's own webstore.
Sources (3)
- Electric Eye Audio Debuts Cannibal Unicorn Fuzz Distortion, Premier Guitar, 2024-07-08
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-01-22
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-05
