All posts in Featured

Crank the heat! PG’s John Bohlinger plugs into the boutique-built Sterling Vermin, a modern twist on the iconic Rat distortion. Hear it rip through Strats, Teles, and a Les Paul with classic snarl and smooth silicon/BAT41 clipping.Sterling Vermin RATThe Sterling Vermin was born from a desire for something different — something refined, with the soul of a traditional RAT pedal, but with a voice all its own.Built in small batches and hand-soldered in ACT’s Jackson, Missouri headquarters, the Sterling Vermin is a work of pure beauty that honors the brand legacy while taking a bold step forward for creativity.The Sterling Vermin features the LM741 Op-Amp and a pair of selectable clipping diodes. Players can toggle between the traditional RAT silicon diode configuration for a punchy, mid-range bite, or the BAT41 option for a smoother, more balanced response. The result is a pedal that’s equally at home delivering snarling distortion or articulate, low-gain overdrive, with a wide, usable tonal range throughout the entire gain spectrum.The pedal also features CTS pots and oversized knobs for even, responsive control that affords a satisfying smoothness to the rotation, with just the right amount of tension. Additionally, the polished stainless-steel enclosure with laser-annealed graphics showcases the merging of the pedal’s vintage flavor and striking design.From low-gain tones reminiscent of a Klon or Bluesbreaker, to high-gain settings that flirt with Big Muff territory — yet stay tight and controlled — the Sterling Vermin is a masterclass in dynamic distortion. With premium components, deliberate design and a focus on feel, the Sterling Vermin is more than a pedal, it’s a new chapter for RAT.

Seattle’s Lacabra don’t pull any punches with new track and video for “Nothing”—a dizzying descent into addiction, disillusionment, and identity collapse, rendered with savage clarity.
The post Track Premiere: Lacabra – “Nothing” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

​Autumn Lies Buried are proud to announce the release of their highly anticipated Mob Mentality EP, available worldwide starting June via Exitus Strategem Records. The release coincides with the first date of the Hell Howler Tour, where the band will share stages with Casket Robbery across the United States. Mob Mentality by Autumn Lies Buried…
The post EP Premiere: Autumn Lies Buried – “Mob Mentality” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Empress Effects is proud to announce the release of the Bass ParaEq, a bass-specific parametric EQ pedal. Building on the success of their acclaimed ParaEq MKII series, which has already gained popularity with bassists, the Bass ParaEq offers the same studio-grade precision but with features tailored for bass instruments.Basses of all types – including electric and upright basses with active and passive electronics – can benefit from the Bass ParaEq’s tone-sculpting capabilities.The new pedal follows the success of the Empress Bass Compressor and ParaEq MKII Deluxe, which have become some of the company’s best-reviewed and top-selling products. The Bass Compressor’s popularity confirmed what Empress had long suspected: bassists are eager for tools built with their needs in mind, not just adaptations of guitar gear.The Bass ParaEq retains the line’s powerful 3-band parametric EQ and studio-style features while introducing a bass-optimized frequency layout, a selectable 10MΩ Hi-Z input for piezo-equipped instruments, a dynamically-adjusted low shelf, and automatic balanced output detection—perfect for live and studio use alike.The Bass ParaEq also offers an output boost, adjustable by a dedicated top-mounted knob and activated by its own footswitch, capable of delivering up to 30dB of boost. It’s perfect for helping your bass punch through during key moments in live performance.Whether dialing in clarity for a dense mix or compensating for an unfamiliar venue, the Bass ParaEq offers precise tonal control in a compact, road-ready form. With 27V of internal headroom to prevent clipping from even the hottest active pickups, the Bass ParaEq is the ultimate studio-style EQ designed to travel.Key features of the Bass ParaEq include:Adjustable frequency bands tailored for bass instruments Selectable 10MΩ Hi-Z input for upright basses and piezo pickups Auto-detecting balanced output for long cable runs and direct recording Three sweepable parametric bands with variable Q High-pass, low-pass, low shelf, and high shelf filters Transparent analog signal path with 27V of internal headroomBuffered bypass switchingPowered by standard 9V external supply, 300mA (no battery compartment)The Bass ParaEq is now shipping worldwide. It can be purchased from the Empress Effects website for $374 USD and through authorized Empress dealers globally.

Reverb, the largest online marketplace dedicated to music gear, today announced the new, limited-edition MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal from Dunlop/MXR, available exclusively on Reverb.Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive”What they’ve tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne’s sound but Wayne’s attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5,” said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. “This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song ‘Heavy Lifting’ that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.”Named after the late rocker’s charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer’s sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.

Hear English post-black metal malcontents Ba’al drink deeply from the “Well of Sorrows” on their latest 11-minute single.
The post Track Premiere: Ba’al – “Well of Sorrows” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you don’t need humbuckers to pull off high gain.Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a MousePrimack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.Here, Kitty, KittyPrimack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4×12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4×12.Ryan Primack’s PedalboardPrimack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.Taver’s TelesVadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer. Dual-Channel ChuggerTaver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.Vadim Taver’s PedalboardTaver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.Big DuffHarmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.Rental RockersHarmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1×15 cab on top and a 4×10 on the bottom.Noah Harmon’s PedalboardHarmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.Orange Rockerverb 100Orange 412 CabMXR JoshuaMXR Carbon Copy DeluxeWalrus ARP-87MXR Phase 90Boss CE-2wVoodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 PlusBoss TU-2Boss ODB-3MXR Dyna CompPRS ArchonBoss TU-3wDOD Bifet Boost 410MXR Phase 100JHS Series 3 ReverbBoss DM-2wDOD RubberneckMXR Carbon Copy DeluxeWalrus SloFender Jazz Bass

Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel’s most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on averageUnique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical positionThe Kyber features Kiesel’s most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body’s sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the frontLower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper fretsSculpted neck heel for seamless playingAvailable in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com

Seventeen years deep and showing no signs of mercy, Finnish death metal unit Refusal return with their third full-length, Venomous Human Concept, out June 6th via Time To Kill Records. But you can hear it NOW!
The post Album Premiere: Refusal – ‘Venomous Human Concept’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.