The Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal is a Boss distortion pedal, currently around $90. Close alternatives include the ProCo RAT 2 and the Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high. It pairs well with the Peavey VTM-120 and the Peavey Invective 120.

Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal

Boss · pedal

The Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal is a high-gain distortion pedal voiced for extreme, aggressive metal tones beyond what Boss's other distortion pedals offer, with a tight, buzzy saturation and scooped-yet-present midrange built to cut through fast, heavily palm-muted riffing. Separate controls shape the low-end punch and overall tonal body alongside the gain and level, letting players dial in a harsher, more compressed high-gain voice than a standard overdrive or distortion pedal provides. It suits thrash, death metal, and other extreme metal styles built around maximum gain and aggressive attack rather than smoother, more amp-like saturation.

What stands out

  • “Look for serious distortion in the HM-2, RAT or even a modded DS-1 • Good”

    — from the community notes

  • “i remember it being a pretty good instant sludge metal guitar tone when put into the clean channel of a decent amp but can be a”

    — from the community notes

  • “The HM-2 has a lot overwhelming low-end by comparison”

    — from the community notes

  • “It suits thrash, death metal, and other extreme metal styles built around maximum gain and aggressive attack , more amp-like saturation”

    — from the listing

  • “The Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal is a voiced for extreme, aggressive metal tones beyond what Boss's other distortion pedals offer, with a tight, buzzy saturation and scooped-yet-present midrange built to cut through fast…”

    — from the listing

  • distortion
  • low end
  • amp like
  • aggressive
  • midrange
  • low end punch
  • attack
  • clean
Used$90View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal is commonly used in

  • Death Metal
  • Metal
  • Black Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Metalcore
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Hard Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Hardcore
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal

Peavey VTM-120

Peavey

26% match

pushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (saturated → tight)

Peavey VTM-120 pushes a saturated tone toward tight

Comes later in the signal chain

Peavey Invective 120

Peavey

26% match
$999.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Feed a scooped signal into Peavey Invective 120 and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Comes later in the signal chain

Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited

Aguilar

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Stack Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo

Ebs

tonal match
$1047.12via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Feed a scooped signal into EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet

Friedman

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Stack Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410

Gallien Krueger

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Feed a scooped signal into Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Synergy SL2 Module

Synergy

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Synergy SL2 Module in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210

Gallien Krueger

tonal match
$1849via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward

Pedals that stack with the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal

Soldano SLO

Soldano

28% match
$119.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Stack Soldano SLO on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

Comes later in the signal chain

Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII

Sola Sound

26% match
$244.69via Reverb

gain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)

Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal

Comes later in the signal chain

Wampler Cory Wong

Wampler

18% match
$266.49via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

What Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal brings here leans toward full — that's worth building a pairing around

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress

Electro-Harmonix

15% match
$119.23via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress after Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal in the signal chain, clear of Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay

TC Electronic

12% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay after Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal in the signal chain, clear of Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Mooer A7 Ambience

Mooer

11% match
$87.94via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)

Put Mooer A7 Ambience after Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal in the signal chain, clear of Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Rainger FX Air Space Invader 2

Rainger Fx

tonal match
$211.07via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Rainger FX Air Space Invader 2 pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward

Rainger FX DFST-1 Stealth Fuzz

Rainger Fx

tonal match
$199via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Rainger FX DFST-1 Stealth Fuzz pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward

Cheaper alternatives

Fender Hammertone Metal

Fender

63% similarity
$49.99via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, attack, middle

TC Electronic Fangs Metal Distortion

TC Electronic

54% similarity
$33.90via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, middle, high gain settings

Behringer HM300

Behringer

49% similarity
$29.75via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, middle, distortion

Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion

Behringer

94% similarity
$28.90via Reverb

similar tone character

Boutique & premium upgrades

Friedman BE-OD

Friedman

54% similarity
$169.99via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, middle, aggressive playing

Boss HM-2W Heavy Metal Waza

Boss

53% similarity
$148.78via Reverb

Shared character: attack, distortion

Universal Audio Uafx Anti 1992 High Gain Amp

Universal Audio

53% similarity
$299via Reverb

Shared character: aggressive playing, high gain settings

Wampler Dracarys

Wampler

51% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, aggressive playing, high gain settings

Boss BD-2W Blues Driver Waza Craft

Boss

50% similarity
$165.55via Reverb

Shared character: distortion

Black Country Customs Monolith

Black Country Customs

49% similarity
$119via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, middle, aggressive playing

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

ProCo RAT 2

Proco

53% similarity
$86.97via Reverb

“Look for serious distortion in the HM-2, RAT or even a modded DS-1”

Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high

Tone City

53% similarity
$82.80via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, aggressive playing, high gain settings

TC Electronic Eyemaster

TC Electronic

52% similarity

Shared character: distortion, aggressive playing, high gain settings

Greer Amps Gorilla Warfare MkII

Greer

52% similarity

Shared character: distortion, aggressive playing, high gain settings

MXR Super Badass Distortion

MXR

51% similarity
$99via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, middle, aggressive playing

Joyo Maximum Overdrive

Joyo

50% similarity

Shared character: middle, distortion, aggressive playing

See all alternatives to the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal?+

The closest matches in character are the ProCo RAT 2, the Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high, the TC Electronic Eyemaster. Budget picks: Fender Hammertone Metal, TC Electronic Fangs Metal Distortion, Behringer HM300. Boutique upgrades: Friedman BE-OD, Boss HM-2W Heavy Metal Waza, Universal Audio Uafx Anti 1992 High Gain Amp.

What pairs well with the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey VTM-120, Peavey Invective 120, Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited — Peavey VTM-120 pushes a saturated tone toward tight.

How much does the Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal cost?+

Around $90 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

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