The CHVRCHBVRNER is an overdrive/distortion pedal from This Heavy Earth, sitting between the two camps: Pedal of the Day, which reviewed it in July 2021, files it as an overdrive distortion. Its defining feature is a two-stage gain structure with selectable clipping. Three toggles on the side of the pedal add or remove clipping from the gain stages: soft clipping in the Pre gain stage, soft clipping in the second gain stage, and hard clipping following the Post gain stage. That gives a player a range of gain textures from one box, rather than one fixed clipping arrangement.1
Controls
The pedal carries six knobs, each with a distinct job in the gain and EQ chain1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Controls the output volume |
| Pre | Controls the amount of soft clipping gain into the next gain stage |
| Post | Controls the amount of gain into the clipping section |
| High | Cuts or boosts the treble frequencies |
| Pres(ence) | Sets the upper mid-range frequencies |
| Tight | Sets the pre-gain low end frequencies |
The split between Pre and Post is the heart of the design: Pre sets how much soft clipping gain feeds the next gain stage, while Post sets how much gain drives the clipping section. With the toggles switching each clipping stage in or out, the same settings can behave very differently, which is where the pedal's range comes from. The Tight knob works before the gain stages, so trimming low end there tightens the response before any clipping happens, and the High and Pres knobs shape treble and upper mids after it.1
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review, published on 28 July 2021, came away broadly positive, summing the pedal up as a flexible gain box for players who need more than a one-trick overdrive1:
"Cheers to This Heavy Earth on a versatile effect that can do many jobs"
The reviewer framed it as suited to players who want their amp to sing but sometimes need more gain and control over their sound overall, covering genres from blues to death metal.1
Where it sits in the range
This Heavy Earth builds several heavy-oriented gain pedals, and the CHVRCHBVRNER's adjustable clipping approach is one way of covering that ground. The maker's other distortion-side pedals include the Flesh Rot V2, the CRUSTIFIXION v2, the Slaughter, the Widower High-Gain Distortion and the Bad Trip, each aimed at different points on the gain scale1.
Videos
Kyle Bull
Shred Ain't Dead
Metalhead Productions
Questions
What kind of pedal is the CHVRCHBVRNER?
Pedal of the Day classifies it as an overdrive distortion, a hybrid that covers gain duties from blues through to death metal. Its three side-mounted toggles add or remove soft and hard clipping from the gain stages, so a player can move between an open overdrive feel and a harder-edged distortion on the same pedal.
Who is the CHVRCHBVRNER suited to?
Pedal of the Day's reviewer called it a versatile effect that can do many jobs, and suggested it suits players who want their amp to sing but sometimes need more gain and more control over their sound overall. The Tight and Pres knobs let a player dial low end and upper mids before and after the gain stages.
Sources (1)
- This Heavy Earth CHVRCHBVRNER Overdrive Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2021-07-28
