2025 Full Metal Racket - 32 of the Best Compact High Gain and Heavy Metal Pedals

www.abominablepedals.com/products/preorder-ships-in-september-pedalboard-friendly-cen

Controls - Frequency Low, Frequency Mid, Frequency High, Low, Mid, High, Volume, Distortion.
 
A rare orange and black version of the stripped down Evil Ned! There is an even crazier full-fat Evil Ned with nearly twice the controls of this one and in a weird form factor - like 3-4 compacts stacked top to bottom! It's another really great HM-2 variety and a worthy representative of my HM-2 style capsule collection - all those pedals are the best for each size of form factor - and I'm very proud to have such a broad selection. I have so many High Gain Pedals and typically only around 3 or 4 available slots on the board - so some of these don't get as much of an airing as they deserve - this is definitely one of the the compact HM-2 greats - sounds superb! Patrick Emmens can be fairly random in his release schedule - but these are still being made - and there's an orange and grey batch coming though very soon!

Retired! - Alas Bardic Audio Devices is. no more!

Controls - Gain, Distortion, Clean (Blend), Low, Mid, High, Low Freq, Mid Freq, Clean Blend Post/Pre.
 
We're really spoilt for choice with full-flavour compact-edition HM-2 types these days - and this is one of the very best. That particular mix of controls takes you into new and interesting areas which others don't always so easily venture. It also can sound nothing like an HM-2 variant if you dial out most of that aggression. This one is particularly easy to dial in and ramp up or down the scale - predictable and even knob sweep tapers throughout - I feel this one is still a little under the radar - but is well worth picking up. Bardic Audio's Tim really makes some interesting pedals - and my original Distortion Trifecta of his - including the HM-Demon, Thunderclap V3 Rat take, and 2-Stroke Beaver Opamp Muff - are just all superb! Alas Bardic Audio is no more - so your only chance is second-hand - albeit not many were made - so it will be a challenge!

Currently not stocked weirdly - only reference I could find was this :

reverb.com/uk/item/26951318-blackhawk-balrog-distortion-v3-blackened

Controls - Volume, Mids, Gain, Treble, Bass, Depth.

For the longest time my most outstanding Doom Sludge Fuzz - which now has some really serious competition from the latest edition of Lichtlaerm Audio Altar. The Balrog really does deliver exceptional molten lava like sludge - which is still its specialism, while the Altar now outranks it in granularity and versatility - texturally though each is still pretty distinct. I of course love them both dearly for particular applications. Both are very much top of the pile! This is still my favourite Blackhawk pedal too! While there are some almost equally impressive pedals from that roster,

Long since discontinued / Retired!

You can view the manual here though! : cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/MZ-2_OM.pdf

Controls - Level, Tone, Drive, Mode : Chorus : I / II / Doubler : I / II / III.
 
The first of the Boss heavy brigade quartet is also the most unusual - combining analog High Gain Circuitry with Digital DSP Manipulation - which greatly expands the richness of the output texture. I've always favoured mixing up High Gain with Modulation - Chorus, Flanger and Phaser are all great, and this box does that kind of thing superbly all within the same enclosure. Some people feel that the somewhat early version of Boss DSP sounds a little brittle and artificial at times, while for me it just all adds to the flavour. If you dial this one in just right it can sound really amazing. One of Boss's somewhat forgotten gems! Interestingly this pedal has the MZ-2 designation - which I always felt should have accompanied the Metal Zone - but that one is rather the MT-2!

www.boss.info/global/products/hm-2w/

Controls - Level, Lows - Color Mix - Highs, Distortion, Mode : Standard / Custom.
 
Some feel that this one is somehow less brutal than the original - mostly just because Boss cleared up the noise floor somewhat. For me it sounds just as visceral as the original, and the new killer Custom Mode makes it even more special. I'm typically on the Custom Mode side - for a properly thunderous sounding output. This pedal is still pretty legendary, and yes three are still some Blues Heads out there that use this in low gain mode - which is kind of sacrilegious really, but at the same time underlines this pedal's range and versatility! It's far more than a one trick Swedish Death Metal pony!

www.boss.info/global/products/ml-2/

Controls - Level, Low, High, Distortion.
 
Supposedly this one is Rob Chapman's favourite High Gain Boss Pedal. Allegedly somewhat based on the MESA/Boogie Dual Rectifier Amp Sound. This one is not quite as well lauded as the Heavy Metal or Metal Zone - but still has a fairly loyal following of Metal Heads. Sounds pretty decent to me, but for some reason has fairly few Modded versions out there, and is generally much less copied than its two high octane siblings. A solid workhorse for sure! I feel this one has more potential - and I'm constantly scanning for the right mod of this pedal - but I've found no suitable candidate in all these years!

www.boss.info/us/products/mt-2w/

Controls - Level, High / Low, Middle / Mid Frequency, Distortion, Mode : Stock / Ultra Tube (Xtreme) / Triple Diode (Molten-Amp).
 
I'm always mystified to find how divisive this pedal can be - which is the catalyst for so many viral memes, and so many people like to b*tch about and demean it, While for me it's truly one of the great Metal Distortion Pedals - particularly in its even more thunderous and higher octane Keeley Twilight Zone Mod Edition. That introduces 3 progressively more heavyweight modes - even the MT-2W cannot keep up with the Twilight Zone one - that one is just Metal Distortion Heaven for me - and still ranks as one of the very best Metal pedals out there. The Waza Craft edition is also decent, while the Keeley Modded One is up in magnificent territory. That one is very much my favourite of Boss's Metal Distortion Quadfecta - while I really like all of them. In terms of most pedals featured in the listing - Boss is still at the top of that curve! Albeit some of the more potent metal pedal experts have further raised the bar!

digitech.com/dp/boneshaker/

Controls - Distortion, Depth, Level, Low / Low Frequency, Mid / Mid Frequency, High / High Frequency.
 
The last time I featured this - DigiTech / DOD was very much defunked and out of business. While South Korea's Cor-Tek Corporation has since revived the whole apparatus with Tom Cram rightly at the helm once more - now in a consulting capacity. All those DigiTech and DOD classics are back on the market, bar a few of the digital ones - for which it is still impossible to source the right types of digital chips. The Boneshaker is as divisive as the Boss Metal Zone - both for the same reason really - ham-fisted amateurs who don't have the patience or aptitude to dial those in correctly. If you get those dials wrong - these can sound pretty horrendous, while a little diligence and perseverance really pays off in spades! A really potent gain machine once you get to grips with it!

www.electriceyeaudio.com/product-page/the-thrasher

Controls - Treble, Mids, Bass, Volume, Boost : New York (Tight Modern), Bay Area (Dark Classic), Gain (Thrasher / Shredder / Nutz).
 
I've been hugely impressed with this one from the start. Totally covers off the mighty quartet of US West-coast and East-coast Heavy Metal talent - Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Antrhax, I love it for playing those killer Slayer Raining Blood Riffs! Suitably heavy and chunky - and thrashy - depending on how you dial it in. A real joy to deploy, and one of the greats for sure - delivers some magnificent textures at exactly the right levels of gain and output! It's no longer quite at the leading edge of this genre - as Fortin, Lichtlaerm, and Sinvertek have moved further ahead and are a generation more advanced. This Thrasher still sound pretty fantastic though.

empresseffects.com/products/heavy-menace?srsltid=AfmBOoqgXktYY-a2Xz2IHoDChG28uFE0D3o3-uUYK1EbyVSUi-YKSk9q

Controls - Gain, Weight, Output, Low ±15, Mid ±15, High ±15, Gate Threshold, Mid Frequency : 200Hz > 2.5kHz, Channel : Lite(ish) / Heavy / Heavier, Gate Footswitch, Bypass Footswitch.
 
Another one of the newer ones - Empress have really pulled out all the stops on this improved and magically shrunk edition of the Empress Heavy. The new one is even more potent - with 3 Modes of play onboard and a really handy Noise Gate. Does everything it needs to do, and is really versatile for sure with a potent active 3-Band EQ section with semi-parametric mids. I felt for a time that it had lost a little of its former low-end heft, but I may just have imagined that. This one is even and predictable on the dial-in and delivers a vast range of tones, a worthy successor to the Heavy for sure!

fortinamps.com/products/kali-preamp-distortion?srsltid=AfmBOoqh3Q8se7P4QyaoSYHlkz3gCIbAon4FtRVlBPa_EbChx5FnifXz

Controls - Bass, Mid, Treble, Master - Vintage / Raw / Saturated, Gain 2 - 1 / 0 / 2 (Bright), Gain 1 - 1  / 0 / 2 (Bright), Channel 1/2 Footswitch, On/Bypass Footswitch.

Great sounding versatile Marshall style box with plenty of gain onboard. Fortin specialises in that super tight high octane sound - and there's plenty of that onboard. Sounds super modern at times - with a tonne of gain available. Both Plexi and JCM800 voicings sound superb. It took me a while to figure out those toggle switches - while it's perfectly dialled in now - with a punch and percussive Plexi voicing, and super fierce searing JCM800 style distortion.

fortinamps.com/collections/pedals/products/meshuggah-preamp-distortion

Controls - Active Bass, Active Mids, Active Treble, MVC Master Volume, Gain 2 (Low-end Frequencies Distortion), Gain 1 (Bright / High-end Frequencies Distortion, Gain Structure (Saturation & Compression) : Lo / Hi, Zuul (Noise Gate).

Obviously this comes with a superb 3-Band Active EQ, its own built-in Zuul Noise Gate, 2 Channels, and 2 Gain Structure Modes.

Henry Kaiser and I compared notes when we both landed this at similar times - he found it a little weird sounding - where he much prefers the open searing nature of the Natas - which really suits is playing style. This signature Meshuggah pedal brilliantly delivers their incredibly tight and highly tuned distortion profile. If you try the REVV G3 after this - then tat sounds somewhat anaemic in comparison. The Meshuggah has incredible degrees of gain and tightness - perfect for me - but evidently a little too much for some. I use all my Metal pedals somewhat differently and their core nature very much inspires different playing styles. I love each of that Fortin Trifecta - but in sheer power of onslaught - the Meshuggah takes some beating. Feels like it a generation ahead of most of those High Gain pedals - has phenomenal levels of highly focused weapons-great distortion onboard.

fortinamps.com/collections/pedals/products/natas-pedal

Controls - Active Bass, Active Mids, Active Treble, Volume, MidShift : Scooped / Humped, Grind (Sharpen), Girth (Fatten), Kill Footswitch (Boost / Adds 1 more Gain Stage), On/Bypass Footswitch.

With its kind of singing and searing lead tone - this is much more to Henry Kaiser's liking - it really suits his pickups and playing style - while the Meshuggah is much more about palm-muted djenty and chuggy riffs! So use he Meshuggah for your super heavy pounding rhythm sounds, and the Natas for your flowing lead lines and solos. Both are exceptional - and the Kali is a worthy high gain metal pedal too - with plenty of gain in reserve. I've been super impressed by my 3 Fortin Distortions - all those are most definitely top tier and leading edge!

robertkeeley.com/product/keeley-filaments-high-gain-distortion/

Controls - Level, Presence, Gain, Bass, Body, Table, Boost Switch, Bright Switch, Crunch Switch.
 
One of my all-time favourite Keeley pedals, really versatile overall, with a slightly darker and denser profile at its core - a proper High Gain Chameleon, which also does HM-2 style tones really easily. This typifies how different each Metal Distortion pedal can be - as each has a markedly different core profile / character / timbre - in terms of how the default frequencies and textures sit together. Overall this one is slightly cooler and denser by default - but can be turned to many a task. While it still very obviously has that same core character throughout.

klirrton.com/product/oh-my-goat-the-devils-distortion/

Controls - Bass, Mids, Treble, Gain, Boost, Level
 
This essentially extracts and expands on the Grindstein's Bottomshaker circuit - which pairs so well with the HM-2 style. Here you have a more extended 3-Band EQ, with additional Boost control for even more saturation. A great low-end accentuated distortion - while it could really do with more output volume. Its somewhat moderate output level can let the side down a little, but it's not too far off where it needs to be, and the overall texture of the distortion is excellent!

kmamachines.com/machines/wurm-2/

Controls - Volume, Voicing: HM II / Both / KMA, Terror (Distortion), Highs, Hi-Mids, Low-Mids, Lows, Internal Frequency Trimmers for Lows, Lows Mids, High Mids, and Highs.
 
Yet another fantastic take on the HM-2 - really expansive, with 3 core voicing Modes at its heart - as well as semi-parametric 3-band EQ. Just hugely potent! Would be nice to see the frequency trimmers externalised in some way in a future edition - possibly along the lines of how Vemuram gives external access to trimpots! Using all the different controls can be a touch fiddly - while the resulting tones you're able to pin-point are really top-tier! This is the 4th of 6 HM-2 types in the listing - we've never had so many quality choices!

lichtlaermaudio.com/shop/altar

Controls - Bass (±18dB), Mids (±18dB), High (±18dB), Boost (+36dB), Gain, Level, Grind (Boost EQ / HM-2 Curve), Depth (Input Saturation), Comp (Clipping Style Fuzz/OD/Distortion), Boost Footswitch (+36dB), Bypass Footswitch, Internal Doom Switch (↑ UP).
 
And so to the first of the Lichtlaerm Trifecta, Lichtlaerm has really stamped its presence on this rundown - with 3 wholly exceptional pedals. The Balrog probably still wins in the overall 'Sludge' category as it does that exceptionally well, while the overall Doom Fuzz category probably has a new champion now in the Altar. It has so much range and shapeability - and it can really punch you in the gut with its output. It's also incredibly poised and somewhat tight most of the time despite it being a Doom pedal. I found each of the Licthtlaerm pedals to be something of a marvel really. With wholly supreme shaping abilities, and capable of the most brutal of outputs!

lichtlaermaudio.com/shop/gehenna

Controls - Gain I, Low Cut (Up to 1.5 kHz), Gain II, Active Bass 40-100Hz, Level, Active Treble 4kHz-10kHz, Depth, Active Lo-Mid @ 400Hz, Active Hi-Mid @ 1kHz, Presence, Gain : 1 / II Footswitch, Bypass Footswitch.
 
The Gehenna has an extra thundering low-end heft to it. It's the most vintage-capable of the Lichtlaerm trifecta, but it can sound just as modern and mid-rangey punchy percussive too. I've really been impressed by the 3 Lichtlaerms - they're just so well calibrated now, which is understandable, as some of those are now 3rd or 4th iterations even of those core circuits. The Gehenna is truly a fantastic Metal Distortion All-rounder - with - and like the Natas - amazing poise and precision throughout.

lichtlaermaudio.com/shop/medusa

Controls - Gain, Level, Low-Cut (Up to 1.5kHz), Active Low ±16dB @ 90 Hz, Mid ±16dB, Grind ±16dB (Twin Peaks @ c. 1.0kHz & 1.3kHz), Presence : Highs Shelving Filter, Gate (Key & Gate circuit), Mid-Freq : 200-700Hz, FX Loop Blend, Mode / Voicing : Modern, Louder & More Mids / HM-2 Classic, FX Loop Polarity, Send / Return Parallel FX Loop.
 
A truly magnificent take on the HM-2 format - which is capable of even more brutality, and truly smart shaping of the twin peak death metal distortion. It has such an expansive control topology that you can really turn this pedal to any purpose. I am so spoilt for superior HM-2 pedal choices - and this is surely one of, if not the finest variant out there - extraordinarily immense!

midvalleyfx.bigcartel.com/product/peaks-v3

Controls - Volume, Base (Depth / Girth), Gain, Top, Middle, Bottom, Boos : Off / On, Edge : LPF / Bite & Sizzle.
 
This really punchy Dual Rec take is still somewhat under the radar alas. Probably not quite as authentic sounding as some of the others here in that category, but still a superior choice for how crispy and percussive its output can be. The Middle frequencies on this distortion hit really hard, and you get an incredibly tight and crisp texture as a result - almost fuzz-like at times too - really potent and different!

redbeardeffects.com/collections/effects/products/red-mist-mkiv

Controls - Gain, Volume, Bass, Mids, Treble.
 
Based on Mikey Demus' Orange Rockerverb 100 Amp - but with more extended range - so it can be turned to several different tasks. Has that amazing Orange crunch flavour - which makes it one of my favourite all-rounder Metal Distortion Pedals, not quite so high gain as some of those others, but still has a rather magnificent range of tones onboard - supremely easy to dial in too!

revvamplification.com/products/g3?srsltid=AfmBOoqefjNdE6c66hELd5u--xM61TdNuvwXQKAlywsydYQjmhgSPNQ5

Controls - Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume, Aggression : Blue (More) / Off / Red (Most), Gain.
 
Interestingly for the previous editions I preferred the G4 - while for the updated versions the G3 sounds significantly more impressive - has more volume and punch to it. The G4 seems a little tighter and less elastic - and somehow is not as satisfactory as is predecessor. This G3 sounds pretty taught and punchy - but it that department is totally blown out of the water by the Fortin Natas - which can go louder, gainier, and more voluminous! The REVV pedals comparatively speaking seem to be a generation behind where Fortin, Licthlaerm, and Sinvertek currently are at - those other pedals deliver a lot more - including pure unbridled satisfaction!

revvamplification.com/products/g4?srsltid=AfmBOoqZMHro3HGCoccl8uMtB2NEugaEqC-lJavVqZp7AISvkD2mEcxU

Controls - Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume, Aggression : Blue (More) / Off / Red (Most), Gain.

I must say I'm somewhat disappointed by the G4 - I had high hopes for it - but it doesn't seem to have the same degree of satisfaction as its predecessor - and its marked volume difference compared to the G3 somewhat annoys me. I feel Metal Pedals should all go to 11 at the very least - you need that extra volume and heft as often the powerful clipping involved delivers a lower output. Some of those really need some kind of extra gain recovery stage or even an LED boost or similar. There are few things more annoying for me than High Gain Distortion Pedals with insufficient output. It's not that the G4 is bad per se - it's just not where it needs to be - and it's shown up by the Fortin, Lichtlaerm and Sinvertek Pedals!

thisheavyearth.com/products/flesh-rot-v2?srsltid=AfmBOorEa_X5bCeZGcuDC-d-BwERx3UOtSo-8TMuUPIAAKIn6wrJvjRx

Controls - High, Mid±, Low, Level, Shift (Mids Frequency), Gain, Presence, Tight.

I was really impressed with this Flesh Rot - I found the Airis 51-Filthy acquired around the same time, somewhat disappointing. While the Flesh Rot definitely delivers on its twin treats of Death Metal, and Diezel Herbert style searing High Gain Distortion. This one has plenty of everything onboard and dialled in really easily for a very satisfactory sound. I really must get more of This Heavy Earth - so I can properly gauge them and see if they deserve to sit at the top with Fortin, Licthlaerm, and Sinvertek! The Flesh Rot V2 was everything I expected and more - a fantastically balance high gain distortion - with all knob tapers and sweeps entirely predictable - in a good way!

www.sinvertek.com/2nd/mgat1ge/mgat1ge.html

Controls - Volume, Top End : Modern / X / Vintage, Low End : Full / Tight / Medium, Gain, Destity / Core EQ : Dark / Poweramp / Bright, Gain Structure : Low / Medium / High, Gold Era Filter : 1987X / 1959SLP + High Gain / 2203 JCM800, Presence, Gain : Green / Orange / Red, Treble, Mid, Orange Saturation : ++ / 0 / +, Red Saturation : ++ / 0 / +, Bass.
 
I didn't think you could do better than the N5 MGAT-1, but Mr. Wu has amazingly managed to eke even greater tones out of the MGAT-1 Golden Era. Still my most favoured all-rounder MIAB pedal - which delivers the most sublime high gain tones too - in fact right across every classic era of Marshall Amps - absolutely superb and indeed absolutely supreme! For certain applications you miss the dual-channel nature of some of its competitors - but in terms of sheer range and shapeability - this has no equal!

www.sinvertek.com/mgat5/mgat5.html

Controls - Volume, Top End : Modern / X / Vintage, Low End : Full / Tight / Medium, Gain, Destity / Core EQ : Dark / Poweramp / Bright, Gain Structure : Low / Medium / High, Gold Era Filter : 1987X / 1959SLP + High Gain / 2203 JCM800, Presence, Gain : Green / Orange / Red, Treble, Mid, Orange Saturation : ++ / 0 / +, Red Saturation : ++ / 0 / +, Bass.

This has the most expansive and potent control topology to date - with no less than 15 controls. And we see the return of both Resonance and Presence from the earlier series. This knocked out my actual Soldano pedal that was featured in this selection. The Sinvertek variety is everyday superior and sounds nothing short of incredible. I've been on a journey with Sinvertek over 7 generations of these pedals - and it's incredibly how every couple of years Mr.Wu manages to roll out a further  improved version. I thought we had reached the peak 4 generations ago - but this format keeps getting better. I would love to se Mr.Wu turn his hand to the Dual Rec next - and deliver the very best variant of the amp type. There are some decent Dual-Rec takes out there - even in this selection too - but they're not Sinvertek levels of brilliant yet!

www.solar-guitars.com/product/chug-lite-high-gain-distortion-pedal/

Controls - Bass, Middle ±, Treble, Output, Mid Frequency, Gain.

I find the Chug Lite every way superior to its 10-controls bigger brother. The original I find to be somewhat 'on-rails' and with all those controls - you're just fine-tuning the core Modern OLA Englund Chug sound. You can't really take that format into more vintage territory - or really benefit from that fatter low end. The original Chug is very tight, modern and focused leaning - where you have huge variations on the core Chug tone - but can't really take it in different directions. The Chug Lite kind of solves that issue with its semi-parametric Mids Controls. I tend to lean a little more into the slightly more vintage style of tones on occasion. And this Chug Lite really delivers - and its output profile belies its smaller stature. Its output and delivery are huge - and I can get a lot more tones to my liking here - also it's infinity simpler to dial in. With the original Chug you always seem to be fitting its accesses - where it can all too easily be made to squeal with all hat feedback. The Chug Lite is more shapeable for me - and surprising a lot more satisfactory - so the knocks its larger sibling off the board, and out of this selection!

www.toneink.com.br/us/products/raven-high-gain/?srsltid=AfmBOopLUQcU14Un6afY7qdbZPUqQ24rBoFipnttuixNeGFNvxZHSMW2

Controls - Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain, Punch (Input EQ) : Red / Blue / Dark, Bite : Rectifier / Bogner Red / PV 5150, Volume.
 
Still one of my very favourite extreme gain pedals. Needs to be run at 18V for you to feel its full potency. A beautifully balanced proper monster high gain pedal with a really Smart Control topology and extended range. At 18V it never fails to impress - another one of those beautifully poised and precise metal distortions! While it can be a little fiddly on the dial-in on occasions. A little patiences and due diligences will get you absolutely killer tones - this one does suck up the power though at 18V - but it sounds so good at 18V that you never want to run it at anything else!

www.victoryamps.com/product/v1-kraken/

Controls - Volume, Gain, Bass, Mids, Treble.
 
Rabea Massaad's signature High Gain Distortion - based on his Victory Amp of the same name, which I understand is largely in turn based on the Peavey 5150 EVH Amp - but with a little darker profile perhaps. Not as high gain as you might expect, but has plenty of range onboard, and easily replicates Rabea's Mids-Forward High Gain Tones. A useful workhorse for sure! I occasionally feel it could have done with more volume and gain - as it doesn't always fully match my experience of Rabea's playing - which can be very heavy at times, and then really quite light an ambient - yet always underlined with a sense of menace! A decent sounding pedal - but not quite a 100%-er!

www.wamplerpedals.com/products/distortion-overdrive/dracarys/

Controls - Bass, Mid, Treble, Volume, Voicing : Open / Tight, Gain.
 
Brian Wampler's take on Ola Englund's Chug Sound - possibly a little overshadowed now by Ola's own Chug pedals. The Dracarys though is really well balanced, and much better behaved than the 'Chug' it certainly doesn't have a tendency for feedback squeal. And delivers very pleasant Chug / Djent tones, certainly not as live-wire as the Chug, but possible all the better for it. Not quite so high gain as the Chug either - but much easier for dialling in useful tones in some ways. The Chug's extra granularity slightly counts against it in some ways! It depends really on which voicing you prefer - they are quite distinctly different in any case.

westminstereffects.com/products/2716-seth-morrison-distortion-v2

Controls - Gain, Presence, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble.
 
A really potent take on the Dual Rectifier Sound - with plenty of range / shaping abilities. Not quite as aggressive as some Dual Recs can be, while still bold and decently impactful. I feel this one is a little under the radar too, where it's actually a really great sounding option for those kinds of tones. Perhaps not as aggressive as some, while it consistently delivers usable tones. I though this might have been bounced this year - but a recent revisit showed that this still matters - while its for sure a generation behind my favourites feared in this selection. But actually sounds really decent either way!