The Thrasher is a dedicated thrash metal high-gain distortion pedal from Electric Eye Audio, voiced for both the West Coast Bay Area and East Coast New York styles of thrash. Guitar Pedal X called it the first proper dedicated thrash metal high-gain distortion pedal when it appeared in 2023, priced at $189, with a launch discount that brought it to $152 with the code PUMPKIN231. By the site's 2025 roundup of compact high-gain and heavy metal pedals it was still listed at $1892.
Controls and voicings
The pedal's controls are Treble, Mids, Bass, Volume, a Boost switch with New York (Tight Modern) and Bay Area (Dark Classic) positions, and a Gain switch with Thrasher, Shredder and Nutz settings2.
| Control | Settings | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Boost | New York (Tight Modern), Bay Area (Dark Classic) | Selects the two thrash voicings2 |
| Gain | Thrasher / Shredder / Nutz | Gain staging options2 |
| EQ | Treble, Mids, Bass | Tone shaping2 |
| Level | Volume | Output level2 |
The two Boost positions are the heart of the pedal. New York is the tighter, more modern, mids-forward sound, which Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson tied to the East Coast signature of Scott Ian's band Anthrax. Bay Area is the darker and deeper, somewhat scooped West Coast option1. Karlsson also found the New York side handy for 7-string guitars and lower tunings, covering what he described as Meshuggah and Periphery style sounds1.
Where the circuit comes from
Silas Fernandes designed The Thrasher around a core distortion circuit that Guitar Pedal X describes as largely based on a highly evolved JCM800 with significantly more heft to the bass1. That Marshall-style foundation, pushed well past stock gain levels, is what the two boost voicings hang off.
"the core distortion circuit is largely based on a highly evolved JCM800 with significantly more heft to the bass"
What reviewers said
Karlsson's 2023 review treated The Thrasher as a genuinely new category of pedal, and his verdict in the 2025 roundup was warm:
"A real joy to deploy, and one of the greats for sure - delivers some magnificent textures at exactly the right levels of"
Slayer's Raining Blood riff featured in many demos of the pedal, something Karlsson noted with pleasure1. For another take on Electric Eye Audio's approach to heavy distortion, the maker also offers the Cannibal Unicorn, a doom and sludge oriented distortion1. The Thrasher sits in the wider field of Distortion Pedals aimed at high-gain players.
Videos
Kevin Frasard
LambChopper678
Kyle Bull
Questions
Who designed the Electric Eye Audio The Thrasher?
The Thrasher was designed by Silas Fernandes of Electric Eye Audio. According to Guitar Pedal X's review, Fernandes based the core distortion circuit on an evolved Marshall JCM800-style design with significantly more heft to the bass, then voiced the pedal for both East Coast and West Coast thrash metal sounds.
What is the difference between the New York and Bay Area modes?
The Boost switch selects between two voicings. New York is the Tight Modern option, a tighter and more modern mids-forward sound associated with the East Coast style of Scott Ian's band Anthrax. Bay Area is the Dark Classic option, a darker and deeper, somewhat scooped sound representing the West Coast Bay Area signature.
What amp is The Thrasher based on?
Guitar Pedal X reports that the core distortion circuit is largely based on a highly evolved JCM800 with significantly more heft to the bass, making it a high-gain take on that classic British amp platform rather than a straight copy.
What colors does The Thrasher come in?
The Thrasher has been offered in Red and Black editions. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer described both editions as really attractive.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-10-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-11-27
