Time Shadows II: The new nugget from the collaboration between Death By Audio and EarthQuaker Devices

The world of guitar effects is abuzz with the release of Time Shadows II, the fruit of an exceptional collaboration between EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio. This pedal, a major evolution of the original Time Shadows limited to 1000 units in 2020, promises to push the boundaries of sonic creativity with its three unique modes, user-assignable expression control and six preset slots.

This pedal is presented as a “Subharmonic Multi-Delay Resonator”… It’s hard to beat that! Let’s delve into the details of this fascinating innovation!

Time Shadows II: 3 creative and original modes

Time Shadows II features three radically different operating modes, perfectly harmonized to suit all musical styles.

EQD mode: Octave-filtered fuzz delay

This mode transforms your signal into a sonic explosion. It combines a powerful digital distortion with a polyphonic lower octave, all of which is passed through a delay before exiting through an envelope-controlled low-pass filter (yes, yes, all of that!!)à. The result? A sound reminiscent of a “space jazz bazooka”, ready to breathe new life into your playing.

Mode !¡: Tone-shifting dual delay

The “!¡” mode features a double delay where each repetition simultaneously rises and falls in pitch with each regeneration. This unique feature creates a transcendent sonic experience, propelling your notes to the heavens while plunging them into the abyss. A true sonic “energy beam”.

DBA mode: Multi-Delay Remorphinator filter

This Death By Audio mode offers a sonic palette ranging from icy shimmers to cosmic echoes. By manipulating delays and filters, this mode allows you to sculpt soundscapes that evolve and transform, adding a robotic, metallic dimension to your music.

Overall features of Time Shadows II

Presets

With six preset locations, Time Shadows II lets you easily save and recall your favorite settings. Each preset can store the parameters of the three controls, the mode switch and the expression jack assignment.

Operating modes

The pedal offers two modes of operation: Live mode and Preset mode, easily identified by the color of the LED on the Save/Recall switch. In Live mode, the physical settings are active, while in Preset mode, the stored presets take over, enabling smooth and rapid transitions between sound configurations.

Assignable expression control

Use an expression pedal to control time, range or filter, opening up new possibilities for real-time musical expression.

A word from the designers of Time Shadows 2

Jamie Stillman of EarthQuaker Devices enthusiastically recounts the origins of this collaboration. The initial idea was born during the pandemic, when he was working on various guitar synth concepts. After a few weeks of development, he realized that this specific project had enormous potential. When Reverb proposed a collaboration to promote “The Pedal Movie”, working with Death By Audio seemed an obvious choice. DBA’s Oliver Ackermann brought his own unique touch, creating a complementary yet distinct sound that enriched the pedal beautifully.

Oliver Ackermann drew his inspiration from aggressive metallic sounds and distortable crystalline filters, creating a sound experience that is both fundamental and transformative. This combination of visions from EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio has resulted in a pedal with almost infinite sonic possibilities.

Retail price: $199
More information on the Earthquaker Devices or Death By Audio website.