The second iteration of the Annihilator acts as a two-in-one octave-down/boost pedal, and features a precision octatone control for versatile tones
(Image credit: KHDK)
Back in 2020, KHDK teamed up with horror punk guitarist and the Misfits member Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein to design the Annihilator – a three-in-one unit that acted as an octaver, a clean boost pedal and a blender.
Now, just over two years after that first pedal arrived, KHDK has debuted an altered, new-look iteration of the versatile Annihilator, which actually glows in the dark.
That’s right: rather than retain the red-and-black aesthetics of the original, KHDK’s limited-edition Annihilator II debuts a grisly portrait of von Frankenstein himself, and has been sprayed with glow-in-the-dark powder.
In practice, though, the Annihilator II offers a largely different pool of sonic options, ditching the blender function and focusing solely on dedicated octave and boost effects, with a neat new octatone control letting guitarists specifically shape their octave sounds.
(Image credit: KHDK)
Though it’s got the same layout as its predecessor, the controls serve wholly different functions. The Bypass and Pre-Boost footswitches have been exchanged for Octave and Boost alternatives, which engage each effect.
As for controls, three smaller parameters – which dictate Direct, Octave and Octatone controls – are accompanied by a larger Boost control knob. These are drafted in to replace the original’s Direct, Octave, Blender and Pre Boost functions.
It does retain some similar functions found on the first Annihilator, though, and serves to split your guitar signal into three paths with a volume potentiometer at the end of each.
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In practice, the Octave serves as an octave-down effect, with the Octatone knob serving to shape the tone from deep sub-basses to synth-like sounds.
While the pedal’s “all-new precision Octatone control” and fully independent boost circuit are all well and good – and no doubt improve its tonal performance – it’s the glow-in-the-dark finish that’s really perked our interests. In theory, it should make off-the-cuff control changes easier on darkened stages.
The Annihilator II – which is available now for $250 – will be limited to only 250 units, and will be accompanied with a numbered certificate of authenticity signed by von Frankenstein himself.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
