The This Heavy Earth Slaughter is an analog preamp pedal built to achieve what the maker describes as a super saturated death metal guitar tone. It is based on the Peavey amp, and RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as the high gain channel of that amp turned into a standalone preamp, with some modifications1.
What it does
The Slaughter takes the high gain channel of the Peavey amp and puts it in a pedal, with some modifications. RockBoard's PedalPedia notes that it is famously stacked with chainsaw tones to get that Slaughter of the Soul guitar tone, so players chasing that style of rhythm sound can run it into or alongside another distortion1.
Controls and setup
Part of the Slaughter's design lives inside the pedal. Looking inside, you find DIP switches for the Bright control, which was originally only available on the amp's clean channel, along with hi/lo Gain and Mid Shift controls, just like the original1.
- Bright: internal DIP switch, originally only available on the clean channel of the amp1
- Gain: internal hi/lo DIP switch, as on the original1
- Mid Shift: internal DIP switch, as on the original1
Because the Bright, hi/lo Gain and Mid Shift options are set with internal DIP switches rather than external knobs, changing them means opening the pedal up rather than turning a control on the top panel1.
Power
The Slaughter runs on 9V DC, center negative, the same standard supply arrangement as most compact pedals1.
Related pedals from This Heavy Earth
This Heavy Earth builds a range of heavy-oriented pedals, including the Flesh Rot V2 death metal distortion, the CHVRCHBVRNER overdrive distortion, the CRUSTIFIXION v2, the Widower High-Gain Distortion and the Bad Trip. For more in this territory, see the site's pages on Preamp Pedals and Distortion Pedals.
Videos
THIS HEAVY EARTH
THIS HEAVY EARTH
Dome
Sources (1)
- Slaughter by This Heavy Earth, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
