Empress Effects Heavy Menace Distortion Pedal

Discover unparalleled versatility with the Empress Effects Heavy Menace, the most advanced distortion pedal in the Heavy series. Designed for guitarists seeking everything from crunchy hard rock crunch to searing modern metal intensity, this compact pedal delivers three distinct distortion modes – Lite(ish), Heavy, and Heavier.

Control your sound with precision using the footswitchable adaptive noise gate and a powerful three-band EQ featuring a sweepable mid-frequency and a unique Weight control for low-end shaping. Whether you play palm-muted riffs or extended-range guitars, the Heavy Menace offers total command over your tone and silence.

Main Features

• Three distortion modes: Lite(ish), Heavy, and Heavier to cover a full spectrum of high-gain tones
• Footswitchable adaptive noise gate with linked or independent gating and distortion bypass options
• Advanced three-band EQ with sweepable mid-frequency (200 Hz to 2.5 kHz) for precise tonal shaping
• Weight control to tailor low-frequency response, from tight and focused to thick and full-bodied
• Gate key input (⅛” TS or TRS) allows external gate triggering for extended pedal setups
• Choice of true bypass for transparency or buffered bypass to protect tone over long cable runs

Enhanced EQ for Professional Sound

The Heavy Menace’s EQ section is finely tuned for the modern player. Adjust the Weight control to shift the high-pass filter in the distortion circuit, enhancing clarity or thickness depending on your playing style. The sweepable mid control lets you scoop mids for aggressive rhythms or boost them to cut through any mix effortlessly.

Adaptive Noise Gate

The intelligent adaptive gate responds dynamically to your playing, allowing sustained notes to ring naturally while quickly silencing unwanted noise between riffs. Easily engage or disengage the gate with a footswitch, and choose whether the gate and distortion bypass together or operate independently for ultimate flexibility. The Gate Key input provides extra control by synchronising gating with your rig’s signal chain.

Specifications

• Input Impedance: 1MΩ
• Output Impedance: 100Ω
• Frequency Response (-3dB): 35Hz – 17kHz
• Power Supply: 9V DC, Centre-Negative
• Current Draw: 250mA
• Power Connector: 2.1mm Barrel Connector
• Dimensions (Enclosure): 4.8” L × 2.6” W × 1.5” H (2.5” including controls)
• Weight: 1 lb

Frequently Asked Questions ➤ What types of distortion does the Heavy Menace offer?
The Heavy Menace provides three modes: Lite(ish) for lighter distortion, Heavy for classic high gain, and Heavier for modern, intense metal tones. These cover a wide range of high-gain sounds.
➤ How does the Noise Gate function?
The adaptive noise gate reacts to your playing dynamics, letting sustained notes decay naturally while quickly muting unwanted noise. It’s footswitchable and can be linked or independently bypassed.
➤ Can I control the gate externally?
Yes, the pedal includes a Gate Key input (⅛” TS or TRS) for triggering the gate via an external signal, ideal when stacking with other pedals.
➤ What EQ controls are available on the Heavy Menace?
You get a three-band EQ with sweepable mid frequency (200 Hz to 2.5 kHz) and a Weight control for sculpting the low-end response to suit your playing style and guitar.
➤ Is the pedal true bypass?
The Heavy Menace offers both true bypass for maximum signal transparency and buffered bypass to preserve tone integrity over long cable runs.

Outside the UK?

Please note that shipping costs outside the UK are very approximate and can vary radically. Please contact us with your Country and Post/Zip Code for an accurate quote. Many thanks. Please also note if you are outside the UK we will not charge you tax on your purchase but you may be liable for import duty in your country.

Please also note that all our stock is sold for the UK market. If you are buying from outside the UK, please check that it is suitable for use in your country before purchase.