Sleepless nights, daily fears of global conflicts, and the rise of Christian nationalism in America. Emma Ruth Rundle has channeled the moods of the contemporary world into her upcoming album These Killing Times. But the new album doesn’t wallow in sadness; on the contrary, it seeks a path through anger and love—and above all, the need to share even the hardest trials together.

Over the course of her long career, Rundle has created a diverse range of albums. From the dreamy abstractions of her debut Electric Guitar: One through the maximalist soundscapes of Nocturnes and her collaboration with Chelsea Wolfe, all the way to the classic singer-songwriter style of Some Heavy Ocean or a return to the piano on Engine of Hell. In her work, she has long moved between folk, ambient, sludge metal, and intimate singer-songwriter styles.

These Killing Times, which is set to be released on September 18, this time features the band’s powerful collective sound and a symbolic connection to other musical traditions. Community is one of the most important themes of the new album.

This is also embodied by the single Powerless. In it, Rundle uses the image of a hammer as a tool for both destruction and the building of something better, and she attempts to articulate the mental, emotional, and spiritual anxiety of the present. At the same time, she wants to remind us that no one has to face it alone.

♡ Emma Ruth Rundle will return to Prague on March 27 at Palác Akropolis, this time with her band. The evening will be opened by multi-instrumentalist and producer Amelia Baker, aka Cinder Well, whose work blends doom metal with Irish ballads and surreal singer-songwriter styles.

The event is organised by Heartnoize Promotion.