Most amps are fine for rock, blues, or pop, but not all amps can handle the particular requirements of metal. As the heartbeat of any great heavy guitar tone, a great metal amp gives you the perfect platform for tight thrash-style down picking, drop-tuned djent riffs, or those low and slow doom-laden power chord chugs. Sound like your kind of party? Then you'll need one of the best amps for metal on your backline.
There are a myriad of metal guitar amps to pick from in 2024, so selecting the best one for a very particular genre can be a tough choice. Here at Guitar World, we've reviewed more metal amps than you can shake a pointy black guitar at, which puts us in the perfect position to recommend a truly great amp for that most heavy of musical styles. We test all the metal amps in our reviews to the absolute limit, whether that's slamming them with tight chugs from an extended-range guitar or searing leads from our favorite Floyd Rose-equipped shred machine. We put them through their paces, at home, on stage, and during recording sessions to ensure that only the tightest low end, punchiest mids, and crystal clear highs remain and the result is what you see here today.
If you don't know your blackened thrash from your melodeath, then you'll want to check out our buying advice section which features loads of common questions answered by our expert writing team. For those who just want the gnarliest tones, chunkiest riffs, and fastest leads, keep scrolling for our top picks...
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With their own signature sound Orange has fast become the weapon of choice for guitarists seeking heavy tones. The Rockerverb 100 is a simply incredible tube head for metal.
A sleeper hit for metal tones, the Marshall DSL40CR is a supremely versatile tube combo that can do hard rock crunch right through to distorted metal mayhem.
An icon of modern metal, the Peavey 6505 1992 Original takes everything that was great about the first iteration of the amplifier and adds a host of modern features.
Another iconic amplifier, the Marshall JCM800 is perfect for heavy metal tones. Whether you like thrash or 80s hair metal, this powerful yet simple amp head will deliver a huge tone.
Small yet deceptively powerful, the Orange Micro Dark is perfect for players seeking massive metal tones on a budget. It's a great gigging amp as well thanks to its compact size.
If you're looking to go the modeling route for your metal tones, you can't get much better than the ubiquitous Boss Katana 100 Gen 3. Packed with amp models and effects, it's super versatile.
A versatile amp that can do more than just doom and sludge tones
Our expert review:
Specifications
Type: Tube head
Output: 100W
Number of channels: 2
Tubes: 4 x ECC83/12AX7 & 2 x ECC81/12AT7, 4 x EL34
Weight: 24.75kg (54.56lbs)
Reasons to buy
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Incredibly versatile
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Monstrous gain channel
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Ultra-low noise
Reasons to avoid
-
Reverb is global
At a Glance
✅ Buy if you want a versatile amp for metal: The Rockerverb is one of the most versatile metal amps we've ever used, suitable for thrash, doom, black, death, progressive, and pretty much any other form of metal.
❌ Avoid if you're on a budget: This particular amp is very expensive compared to others, so you won't want to look at the price tag if you're on a tight budget.
Despite being a favorite of guitarists from doom and heavy metal bands, the Orange Rockerverb 100 is actually an incredibly versatile amp. As well as your typical monster gain sounds it also does a wonderful Fender-clean impression and even Vox-like chime.
The gain channel is a versatile one, it goes from overdrive right through to distortion, then onwards to full-on high gain. The sustain on it is absolutely incredible, even at lower settings and it delivers a lovely crunch and proper punch you’ll feel in your chest.
The fact that you can also use this amp for bluesy drive and cleans makes it not just a fantastic metal amp, but a great amp full stop. It’s incredibly loud, so you’ll be thankful for the power attenuation options, all of which retain the sonic characteristics of the Rockerverb at full whack.
A superb tube combo that can handle metal riffing and much more
Our expert review:
Specifications
Type: Tube combo
Output: 40W
Number of channels: 2 (2 modes each)
Tubes: Preamp 4 x ECC83, power amp 2 x EL34
Weight: 50.4 lbs
Reasons to buy
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Awesome Marshall tone
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Lots of tone options
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Goes from clean to high-gain
Reasons to avoid
-
Reverb feels like an afterthought
At a Glance
✅ Buy if you want an all-in-one gigging metal amp: Using the venue or the headliner's cabs can mean you're not getting your painstakingly dialed-in guitar tone, but with the DSL40CR you're taking your speaker with you, guaranteeing the tone you know and love.
❌ Avoid if you want onboard reverb: The onboard reverb here isn't the best, so avoid it if you're looking to ditch that particular effect from your pedalboard.
Despite what many traditionalists may have you thinking, you don’t actually need a full stack to get a great metal tone. The Marshall DSL40CR is a relatively compact tube combo that’s versatile enough to handle high gain and clean plucked passages with ease.
It’s got bags of that Marshall swagger with a tight and punchy low end that’s reminiscent of the famous EVH brown sound on the Ultra channel. The Classic channel does what you’d expect, delivering that famous Marshall crunch that will get you everything from a hard rock tone to a thrash sound with a little tweaking.
It’s a hugely versatile amp thanks to the two master volumes allowing you to use the two channels as gain stages. It also means you can get usable high gain tones at lower volumes if you need to whilst an emulated out designed with Softube allows you to record at home or go direct when playing live.
Best for modern metal
(Image credit: Peavey)
3. Peavey 6505 MKII
The champion of modern metal and one of the best metal amps around
Our expert review:
Specifications
Type: Tube head
Output: 120W
Number of channels: 1
Tubes: Preamp 5 x 12AX7, power amp 4 x 6L6GC
Weight: 48.3 lbs
Reasons to buy
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Perfect for modern metal
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Easy to dial in
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Huge gain range
Reasons to avoid
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Not the most versatile
At a Glance
✅ Buy if you want the ultimate modern metal amp: The 6505 is quite literally the sound of modern metal, so perfect for those who like their metal tones forward thinking.
❌ Avoid if you want light weight: This is a beast of an amplifier so one to avoid if you want something that's easily transportable.
If you’re after the tight chug of modern metal, there’s not much that does it better than the legendary Peavey 6505 1992 Original. Recently updated with a new transformer and internal switch for international voltages it’s got a huge range of features that make it a touring standard for the modern metal guitarist.
It’s got a huge sweep of gain tones available that take you from classic rock crunch right through to modern metal mayhem, but always staying detailed and responsive. The saturation available is simply astounding, but it always feels punchy and never mushy until it’s pretty much maxed out. It can do glassy cleans as well of course, but let’s face it, most guitarists will be buying this amp for the overdriven sound.
It’s got separate high and low gain inputs and the controls are simple but surprisingly flexible. The EQ is shared by both channels and the separate knobs for pre and post-gain give you loads of tone control. On the back panel, an effects loop, preamp out for slaving another amp, and handy speaker jack out with a switchable impedance selector round out this brilliant amp’s feature set.
Best for classic metal
(Image credit: Marshall)
4. Marshall JCM800
An icon of classic metal guitar that’s still one of the best
Our expert review:
Specifications
Type: Tube head
Output: 100W
Number of channels: 1
Tubes: Preamp 3 x ECC83, power amp 4 x EL34
Weight: 45.19 lbs
Reasons to buy
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Perfect for classic metal
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Ridiculously loud
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Superb drive sounds
Reasons to avoid
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Bit of a one-trick pony
At a Glance
✅ Buy if you want heavy metal guitar tones: This iconic amplifier has been the base for many classic metal tones, perfect for those who like their metal heavy.
❌ Avoid if you prefer modern tones: It's not quite as high gain as a modern amplifier, so if you're looking for djent sounds you'll find better elsewhere.
If you like your vintage metal loud and brash, the Marshall JCM800 is a fantastic choice. One of the iconic amps of rock and metal, it’s a simple amplifier that does one thing really well, which is why the design has changed very little since it first appeared in the 80s.
The sound of a JCM800 is emphasized in the upper midrange, so it’s well-suited to crunchy guitar tones. It sounds its best when pushed hard delivering searing tones that can be coaxed to modern metal sounds with the use of a good drive pedal. This thing is incredibly loud, and not at all suited to home playing.
Traditionalists may bemoan the addition of an FX loop but for us, it’s a nice option to have on the reissue. Simple and to the point, the JCM800 is undoubtedly one of the best options for classic metal tones. If you do want to play or record at home, we’d recommend getting an amp attenuator to get the very best out of it.
Best budget option
(Image credit: Future)
5. Orange Micro Dark
A pint-sized hybrid amp with an atomic gain section
Our expert review:
Specifications
Type: Mini-lunchbox hybrid head
Output: 20W
Number of channels: 1
Tubes: 1x 12AX7 preamp
Weight: 1.72 lbs
Reasons to buy
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Great value for money
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Amp heads don’t get any more portable
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Durable build with simple control panel
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Heaps of gain
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Buffered effects loop
Reasons to avoid
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It’s fierce, but not quite enough volume suitable for larger gigs
At a Glance
✅ Buy if your budget is tight: The Micro Dark is astounding value for money at less than $200, perfect for those who need high gain sounds on a budget.
❌ Avoid if you need a loud amp: It's not as loud as others on this list, so avoid if you're playing in a doom band with another loud guitarist.
The Orange Micro Dark sure is tiny but it's more than capable of tones that will scorch the earth around you, and perfectly voiced for any kind of high-gain, heavy metal hi-jinks.
The setup is simple. It’s a single-channel hybrid amp with a solid-state power section being fed by a preamp that’s got a single 12AX7 tube to give its crunch a nice and juicy dynamic response. The control panel has knobs for volume, shape, and gain, with the shape control running from a predominantly mids-scooped tone at one extreme to a more mids-heavy, punchy tone at the other.
At 20 watts, we found that the Micro Dark is more than powerful enough for band practice or small gigs – cab permitting – and with an emulated headphones output it's ideal for late-night silent practice. Run it clean, run it fiercely, there’s plenty of range on that gain control, and a buffered effects loop on the back for hooking up your pedalboard.
Six amp types, 60 Boss effects via Tone Studio software
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Exceptional value
Reasons to avoid
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It doesn’t necessarily look mind-blowing
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You have to pay more for Bluetooth
At a Glance
✅ Buy if you need metal tones at home: The majority of the amps on this list are incredibly loud so if you need a home practice amp for metal, the Katana will do an excellent job.
❌ Avoid if you prefer tube amps: This is a modeling amp, so if you're all about the pure tone of tubes then there are plenty of other options in this article.
The Katana can pretty much do anything. Jazz-funk? Sure. Spanky clean country? Yippee. The latest Gen 3 version features six amp types onboard, which effectively means the Katana is a six-channel amp, with Clean, Crunch, Pushed, Lead, Acoustic, and Brown amp models. Factor in all the Boss effects and you see what we mean about it being a Swiss Army Knife for tone.
But this is the best metal amp buyer’s guide so let’s just get down to it. The spandex-legged of you might then want to park yourself in the Brown channel, which is lifted directly from the Boss Waza amplifier and will put the E into the VH of your rock tones. The Lead amp, meanwhile, has all the gain you need to turn your signal into something that could slice through steel.
We found dialing in tones a cinch. There is a variable power control so you can switch it down to half-power or a measly 0.5-watts to get super-cranked tones at bedroom level. The amp also features stereo expansion possibilities and an effects loop – but then with 60 effects available via Boss’s Tone Studio software, you might not need them.
Also tested
PRS MT 15 Mark Tremonti | Tube head | 15W, switchable to 7W | 2-channel The MT 15 Mark Tremonti is a lunchbox amp powered by two 6L6 output tubes and six 12AX7 preamp tubes. The MT 15 features five gain stages before the Master for full, lush distortion. While the MT 15 was designed with heavier players, it can do a range of tones. Guitar World Score: 4.5/5
Peavey Invective MH Mini | Tube head | 20W | 2-channel Designed in conjunction with Misha Mansoor of Periphery, the Peave Invective MH Mini takes all the glorious tone of the excellent Invective 120 head and brings the power down to more manageable levels. If you’re a fan of the 6505 sound then you’ll love this. Guitar World Score: 5/5
Revv G20 | Tube head | 20W switchable to 4W | 2-channel When it comes to high-gain tone for the discerning player, Revv has certainly got its foot on the G.A.S. The G20 not only packs Revv’s signature harmonically-rich Purple Channel gain into a mid-size lunchbox format but it’s full of features too. Guitar World Score: 4.5/5
EVH 5150III LBX | Tube head | 15W switchable to 4W | 2-channel The EVH 5150III LBX is the shrunken-down, lunchbox version of the beautifully excessive 50-watt 5150 – and with everyone looking to shrink their rigs for the sake of convenience, this small amp head could be just what the modern metal guitarist needs. Guitar World Score: 4.5/5
Line 6 Catalyst 100 | Modeling amp | 100W | 2-channel
Line 6’ Catalyst series puts its Helix-level, HX tones and effects into a trio of combos. Six original amp designs built on Helix technology, 18 effects spanning modulation, delay, and pitch, plus a dedicated reverb section containing six ’verbs make it very versatile. Guitar World Score: 4.5/5
With any amp – metal or otherwise – it’s worth bearing in mind whereabouts you’ll be using it most. If you’re going to be shredding a festival main stage, then a Friedman 100-Watt stack might be the best metal amp for you – but if you’ll only be shredding the bedroom stage at practice land, you’ll never get the chance to hear what it can do best. Well, not without damaging neighborly relations.
Grabbing yourself an attenuator is always an option, but rather than spending more money you could save a fair bit if you treated yourself to something at a lower wattage. Not only would it be more cost-effective, but you’d also be able to drive the valves more and hear them truly at work.
How do I get a metal tone?
Also, take a minute to think about the kind of gain tone you’ll be going for with your metal amp, and more specifically the pre-amp valves. EL34s or EL84s will generally offer more of a creamier, British-voiced sound, while 6L6s have generally been associated with Fender’s world-famous compressed cleans and the full-throttle high gain offered by Mesa/Boogie amps.
Other amps – the EVH 5150III for instance – are much better suited to the sharp precision of higher gain metallic thunder, from the EVH-like tones its name would suggest through to Gojira levels of brain-melting. Its clean and crunch sounds are commonly disregarded as being a little bit underwhelming, but if you’re a guitarist who doesn't really plan on spending much time using this amp in its un-driven mode you’ll be just fine here.
Are tube amps good for metal?
Tube amps are fantastic amps for metal guitar players, and one of the most famous heavy guitar amps is the Marshall JCM800, which is a valve amp. Tube amp distortion is famed for its high compression, harmonically rich, and warm tone, sounding fantastic on pretty much any kind of music.
That doesn’t mean that solid-state or modeling amps aren’t great for metal too though. James Hetfield famously uses a Roland Jazz Chorus in his live rig - albeit for clean tones - and many modern metal guitarists are turning to modeling amps for their ease of use and reliability.
What’s the best metal amp for home use?
If you’re wanting to get high-gain tones at home, then power attenuation is a must-have. There are loads of great amplifiers with different power modes now, from the all-tube Orange Rockerverb 100 to one of the modeling greats in the Boss Katana 100 MkII.
In a tube amp, the power amp is still operating at the same level, but the extra signal bleeds off before it hits your speaker. This is a sort of trick that helps you get tube saturation without the traditionally associated noise complaints.
Typically solid-state and modeling amps don’t require this technology, because they should sound the same no matter what volume you’re at. However, you will find power attenuators on larger wattage solid-state and modeling amps, as it gives you more dynamic control with the master volume knob.
(Image credit: Future)
What’s the best metal amp on a budget?
Unfortunately in the world of amplifiers, the reality tends to be that you get what you pay for. Cheap guitar amps as such aren’t all that common outside of the spectrum of practice amps or desktop amps, and it’s especially difficult to find tube amps at a low price point.
There are a couple of low-cost choices in this article, with the Diezel VH Micro and the Orange Micro Dark heads which both come in well below the 500 mark. However, you will need a cabinet to go with those, which adds extra cost. If you’re looking for something a little less expensive, then have a look at our best budget guitar amps under $500 where you’ll find plenty of great deals.
What’s the best metal amp for beginners?
If you’re looking to get your first guitar amp and you love all things heavy then you won’t be lacking in choice. We’ve got a great beginner guitar amps article that will give you plenty of suggestions, but if you’re looking for something that purely falls into the metal category, we’d suggest going for a modeling amp.
Modeling amps like the Boss Katana 100 MkII and the Line 6 Catalyst 100 offer you a huge array of tones from high gain to clean, enabling you to find your unique voice in the world of guitar, as well as adding in loads of effects you can try out. Once you’ve established your sound, you can move up to something a little more specific and develop your tone further.
Are there any metal amps with good cleans?
Yes, there are loads of options for metal amps with multiple channels, whether you want those super sterile Metallica-esque cleans or something with a little bit of dirt before you bring back the heavy. Pretty much all the amps in this article have a great clean channel, and we particularly love those on the Revv G20 and the Orange Rockerverb 100.
How we test
When testing a guitar amp for metal, we'll take a very similar approach to how we'd test any guitar amplifier, whether it's for gigging, practice, or recording. Metal tones are achievable with pretty much any guitar amp with the right pedals, but only a select few amplifiers can give you great metal sounds on their own.
The first thing we'll look at when testing a metal amp is the drive channel. All genres of metal share the same love for heavily overdriven guitar tones, so a great metal amp will have this at its core. Of course, a good metal amp will occasionally need cleans as well, so we're also looking for an amp that can handle this side of the genre too.
We'll begin by testing the metal amp in question with a variety of playing styles, seeing if the low end remains tight with palm muting, and if the clarity is there for power chord playing with high gain settings. Next, we'll try some lead work, making sure it has the capacity to cut through the mix, remaining articulate without any harsh or fizzy sounds.
Once we're convinced it's got the right sound, we'll then look for other functionality like switchable power modes, built-in effects, and voicing modes for different channels. Just because an amp is suited for metal doesn't mean it shouldn't be able to do other things.
Finally, we'll look at the durability and build quality of the amplifier. We need to know that it's well suited for life on the road, so a durable cabinet, solid knobs, and ideally some form of carry handle are must-have for what is typically a heavy bit of guitar gear.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
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Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
