The Rivera Metal Shaman is a distortion/overdrive pedal from Rivera, voiced for aggression. Rivera introduced it in January 2011 as one of three uniquely voiced Shaman series pedals, with the Metal Shaman offering a more overdriven range of textures than its two siblings1. It carries a street price of $2992.
Controls and switches
The pedal's top row carries controls for Bass, Mid, High, and Gain1. Vintage Guitar's review found the EQ section offers enough flexibility for guitarists to key in on their ideal tone4.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bass, Mid, High, Gain | Main EQ and gain controls1 |
| Brutality switch | Opens the bottom end and lends a modern sound well-suited to lower tunings4 |
| Disintegrate footswitch | Adds more gain on top of the main sound4 |
| Noise gate (Sensitivity, Release) | Switch-bypassable gate that tames noise accompanying high-gain sounds1 |
Below the controls sit two stomp switches, the Disintegrate switch and an On/True Bypass switch, which are elevated to protect the controls underfoot2. Vintage Guitar's reviewer summed up the extra gain switch plainly:
"If the sheer power of the Metal Shaman isn't enough, kicking in the Disintegrate switch will definitely take you there."
How it sounds
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the Mid control especially useful for classic metal voicings: backing it off scooped the tone and produced what the reviewer called "a great James Hetfield-like sound that harkened back to Master of Puppets," without loss of clarity or punch2. The same review described the low end as "super tight and focused without a hint of smearing or nasty, nasal midranginess"2.
For players in lower tunings, the Brutality switch is the relevant control: Vintage Guitar says it opens the bottom end and lends a modern sound well-suited to lower tunings4.
Build, connections and power
The Metal Shaman is housed in a folded stainless steel stompbox2. On the topside are mono in and out jacks and a 9V DC input2. A battery compartment is accessed by removing the back of the pedal2.
The pedal runs on 9V DC. Premier Guitar's review describes a 9V DC input on the topside rather than a battery snap on the outside, so plan your pedalboard power accordingly2.
Videos
Guitar World
Rivera Amplification
Rivera Amplification
Questions
Is the Rivera Metal Shaman true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's review identifies one of the pedal's two footswitches as a true bypass switch, and Premier Guitar's reviewer describes the second stomp switch as the On/True Bypass switch. The pedal also carries a second footswitch, Disintegrate, which kicks in extra gain on top of the main distortion sound.
Does the Metal Shaman have a noise gate?
Yes. The Metal Shaman includes a switch-bypassable noise gate with controls for Sensitivity and Release. Rivera introduced it as a way to tame the noise that can accompany high-gain distortion sounds, and it can be switched out when you do not want it.
What does the Brutality switch do?
Vintage Guitar's review says the Brutality switch opens the bottom end and lends a modern sound that is well-suited to lower tunings. Players running downtuned guitars can use it to keep the low end present in the distortion voicing.
What does the Disintegrate switch do?
Disintegrate is a second footswitch that adds more gain on top of the pedal's main distortion. Vintage Guitar put it this way: if the sheer power of the Metal Shaman is not enough, kicking in the Disintegrate switch will definitely take you there.
Can the Rivera Metal Shaman run on a battery?
Yes. The pedal has a battery compartment that is accessed by removing the back of the pedal, according to Premier Guitar's review. It also takes a 9V DC input on the topside for use with a power supply.
Is the Metal Shaman suited to downtuned guitars?
The Brutality switch is aimed at that use. Vintage Guitar's review says it opens the bottom end and lends a modern sound well-suited to lower tunings, and Premier Guitar's reviewer found the low end stayed tight and focused without smearing or a nasal midrange.
Sources (4)
- Rivera Introduces Shaman Distortion/Overdrive Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2011-01-21
- Rivera Metal Shaman Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-05-03
- Review: Rivera Metal Shaman Pedal, Guitar World, 2014-01-17
- Rivera Shaman Series Pedals, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2016-05-25