BOSS HM-2W Waza Craft Distortion Guitar Pedal

The legendary HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal returns in spectacular fashion with the HM-2W Waza Craft edition, bringing back the iconic “chainsaw” tone that defined Swedish death metal and countless heavy music genres. Originally launched in 1983 as one of the first “amp in a box” pedals, the HM-2 used innovative BOSS circuitry to replicate early ’80s British stack amps. Its aggressive sound and focused midrange became legendary when Swedish death metal bands adopted it as their primary guitar tone, creating a cult following that has demanded its return for years.

The HM-2W’s Standard mode reproduces the original HM-2 with complete authenticity, while incorporating modern improvements including a reduced noise floor and 3dB increase in maximum output level. The premium Waza Craft buffer enhances your tone even when bypassed. For the classic Swedish death metal sound, simply crank every knob to maximum, though the sensitive distortion and colour controls allow for a wide range of tones across different musical styles.

Custom mode takes the familiar HM-2 character and pushes it further with additional gain, more fundamental guitar sound for enhanced attack and sharpness, plus refined low and high-mid characteristics for increased fullness and definition. BOSS has meticulously recreated the pedal’s distinctive orange and black appearance, maintaining the authentic control layout while positioning the mode switch on top to preserve the original aesthetic.

As part of the prestigious Waza Craft series, the HM-2W represents the pinnacle of BOSS design and craftsmanship. In Japan, “Waza” signifies art and technique, and these special edition pedals showcase BOSS’s commitment to exceptional tone through carefully selected analog components, refined circuitry, and meticulous attention to detail.