Wren and Cuff The Hangman 2D

Wren and Cuff Hangman 2D

Back before there was the Boss Metal Zone, there was the Boss Hyper Metal. And before that still was one of the greatest high gain pedals ever made: the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal. Not until recently was this treasure unearthed, even though everyone from Entombed to Eric Clapton (yes, really) used one.

Back when the HM-2 was in production, the word "metal" meant something completely different; it wasn't all that separate from its rock brethren. It delivered a nice gritty crunch that stood head and shoulders above similar offerings in that time period.

Wren and Cuff has now released the Hangman 2D, a nod to that jack of all trades. And in keeping with the times, there's a toggle switch for Mod[ern] and Vint[age] tones, with the stock HM-2 setting residing on the Vintage end of the switch. The same powerful 2-band gyrator EQ is intact from the original, along with all the crunchy harmonics the unit is known for.

One nagging issue plaguing the original HM-2 is the power issue. Original units accept a 12v adapter, and those trying to power the pedal with a (then not) standard 9v adapter got the short end of the stick. Thankfully, that part of the reproduction process is omitted.

The Wren and Cuff Hangman 2D is true bypass, and accepts a standard 2.1mm 9v center-negative Boss-style power adapter.