For makers and artists, the arrival of Unfiltered Audio’s Battalion modules in VCV Rack transforms a beloved drum synthesiser from a polished product into a raw playground. This release turns what was once a premium, integrated environment into an open architecture where you can patch directly into the engine, offering total freedom over sequencing and modulation. While the original software version impressed with its personality and rich sound design methods, the VCV integration strips away the restrictive interface, allowing users to hot-rodd their own grooves rather than just driving a pre-built sports car.
The modular breakdown
Unfiltered Audio has organised this suite into a neat collection of modules that bring the entire Battalion experience to the free VCV Rack environment. The pricing is accessible, with individual modules ranging from $10 to $20, or an introductory bundle price of $30 for the complete set.
Core modules
- Drum Synth: The heart of the system, capable of generating a vast array of percussion sounds.
- Shatter Delay: A stereo delay featuring ping-pong routing, ducking, tilt EQ, and sample-rate reduction, fully syncable.
- Headspace Reverb: A multimode reverb unit equipped with predelay, EQ, and sample-rate reduction capabilities.
- Tone: Handles multimode distortion and multimode filtering with switchable internal routing.
- Output: Includes a maximiser, 3-band EQ, gain control, and a multimode clipper.
Unlimited sound design possibilities
The true power of this release lies in the sheer volume of modes available within the core modules. This is not just a collection of presets; it is a toolkit for building your own sound engine. The Drum Synth module alone offers 27 distinct modes, including Kick, Hi-Hat, Snare, Clap, FM, Additive, Chaos, VOSIM, SumSyn, Resonator, Comb Sine, Comb Noise, Pillow, Zap, Radiator, LPG, Terrain, Shame, Entangled, Haywire, Tripwire, Construction, Scrapyard, Modal Bar, and Cowbell.
Headspace Reverb provides nine unique spaces, such as Dark, Rusty, SATREV, Glitter, Bokeh, Flare, Flutter, Hollow, and Austere. The Tone module splits into Distortion and Filter categories, offering modes like Bitcrush, Rate Crush, Wavefold, Phase, Tape, Tube, MiniGlitch, MegaGlitch, Contrast, Square, Dropout, as well as Low-pass, High-pass, and Band-pass filters with various feedback configurations.
Interface and control
While the user interface remains somewhat barebones, the functionality is robust. Every parameter features CV control with its own attenuator, alongside convenient on-panel controls. A crucial design choice that gives these effects an edge is the inclusion of a choke input for the reverb and a specific ducking input for the delay. The Drum Synth module further enhances control with velocity, choke, and 1v/oct inputs, plus an envelope output, in addition to its copious CV inputs.
The visual experience can be customised with various colour themes, though the focus remains on the patching capabilities. One might argue that the Output module is slightly less impressive on its own compared to other options in the library, but the value proposition of the $30 bundle makes it a steal. In fact, the depth of the system is so engaging that it may tempt users to dream of a dedicated hardware version of Battalion.
Key takeaways
- The VCV Rack modules liberate the Battalion sound engine by removing the proprietary UI, allowing for direct patching and deep modulation.
- Users gain access to over 20 distinct modes for the Drum Synth, nine for the Reverb, and multiple distortion and filter options for the Tone module.
- The bundle offers exceptional value at an introductory price of $30, providing a complete suite of drum synthesis and effects tools.
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