Album artwork for Engine of Hell by Emma Ruth Rundle

Emma Ruth Rundle's forthcoming Engine of Hell is stark, intimate, and unflinching. For anyone that's endured trauma and grief, there's a beautiful solace in hearing Rundle articulate and humanize that particular type of pain not only with her words, but with her particular mysterious language of melody and timbre. The album captures a moment where a masterful songwriter strips away all flourishes and embellishments in order to make every note and word hit with maximum impact, leaving little to hide behind. 'I really wanted to capture imperfection and the vulnerability of my humanity,' Rundle says of the album's sonic approach. 'Here are some very personal songs; here are my memories; here is me teetering on the very edge of sanity dipping my toe into the outer reaches of space and I'm taking you with me and it's very f***ed up and imperfect.''

Emma Ruth Rundle has always been a multifaceted musician, equally capable of dreamy abstraction (as heard on her album Electric Guitar: One), maximalist textural explorations (see her work in Marriages, Red Sparowes, Nocturnes or collaborations with Chelsea Wolfe and Thou), and the classic singer-songwriter tradition (exemplified by Some Heavy Ocean). But on Engine of Hell, Rundle has opted to forego the full-band arrangements of her previous albums in favor of the austerity of a lone piano or guitar and her voice, which creates a kind of intimacy, as if we're sitting beside Rundle on a bench, or perhaps even playing the songs ourselves. It's an extremely up-close and personal confessional with a focus on the rich subtleties and timbre of Rundle's graceful performances.

Emma Ruth Rundle

Engine of Hell

Sargent House
Album artwork for Engine of Hell by Emma Ruth Rundle
LP +

$25.99

Indie Exclusive

White Vinyl

Includes download code
Released 11/12/2021Catalog Number

LP-SH-255C

Learn more
Album artwork for Engine of Hell by Emma Ruth Rundle
CD

$14.99

Released 11/05/2021Catalog Number

CD-SH-254

Learn more
Emma Ruth Rundle

Engine of Hell

Sargent House
Album artwork for Engine of Hell by Emma Ruth Rundle
LP +

$25.99

Indie Exclusive

White Vinyl

Includes download code
Released 11/12/2021Catalog Number

LP-SH-255C

Learn more
Album artwork for Engine of Hell by Emma Ruth Rundle
CD

$14.99

Released 11/05/2021Catalog Number

CD-SH-254

Learn more

Emma Ruth Rundle's forthcoming Engine of Hell is stark, intimate, and unflinching. For anyone that's endured trauma and grief, there's a beautiful solace in hearing Rundle articulate and humanize that particular type of pain not only with her words, but with her particular mysterious language of melody and timbre. The album captures a moment where a masterful songwriter strips away all flourishes and embellishments in order to make every note and word hit with maximum impact, leaving little to hide behind. 'I really wanted to capture imperfection and the vulnerability of my humanity,' Rundle says of the album's sonic approach. 'Here are some very personal songs; here are my memories; here is me teetering on the very edge of sanity dipping my toe into the outer reaches of space and I'm taking you with me and it's very f***ed up and imperfect.''

Emma Ruth Rundle has always been a multifaceted musician, equally capable of dreamy abstraction (as heard on her album Electric Guitar: One), maximalist textural explorations (see her work in Marriages, Red Sparowes, Nocturnes or collaborations with Chelsea Wolfe and Thou), and the classic singer-songwriter tradition (exemplified by Some Heavy Ocean). But on Engine of Hell, Rundle has opted to forego the full-band arrangements of her previous albums in favor of the austerity of a lone piano or guitar and her voice, which creates a kind of intimacy, as if we're sitting beside Rundle on a bench, or perhaps even playing the songs ourselves. It's an extremely up-close and personal confessional with a focus on the rich subtleties and timbre of Rundle's graceful performances.