Emma Ruth Rundle has released her sixth studio album, These Killing Times, through her own label Errant Child, and she has walked through it track by track with Consequence. The record returns to a full-band setup, and Rundle’s descriptions of each song lay bare the sociopolitical weight behind the quiet-loud dynamics.
The Band Behind the Album
The LP was co-produced by Sonny Diperri, whose resume includes work with My Bloody Valentine and Trent Reznor. The backing band is a mix of familiar faces: Jess Gowrie of Chelsea Wolfe and Mrs. Piss, Troy Zeigler, Patrick Shiroishi, Nick Reinhart of Tera Melos, Gina Gleason of Baroness, Marissa Nadler, Lukas Frank of Storefront Church, and Amelia Baker of Cinder Well.
The Songs, As Told By Rundle
Rundle started writing the album with “God’s Picture,” the first song she composed, during the fires that swept Los Angeles in early 2025. She had just read the novel Lapvona and was thinking about societal structures, Manifest Destiny, and the Christian roots of modern capitalism. The song imagines a world where the climate has collapsed and people fight endless wars, and its chorus is an anti-prayer against Western dominance.
“Powerless” and Its Hammer
“Powerless” arrived last, and Rundle wrote it quickly after reading about Noam Chomsky’s ties to Epstein. The bridge references John Henry’s story and Gillian Welch’s song “Dream a Highway,” which ends with the line “Lord, let me die with a hammer in my hand.” Rundle likes the hammer as a symbol of destruction and creation, and she set it against the frustration of the moment.
“Anvil” and Its Army
“Anvil” is a song for “the bitches, witches and queers,” a category Rundle feels she falls into herself. She speaks directly about being shaped by patriarchal systems and feeling angry about it. She draws on Plath’s poem about the Altar of Shame, and she imagines an army of people taking vengeance on oppressive forces. She also pictures a bright light healing hate and greed.
“Catherine Wheel” and Its Torture Device
The title refers to a medieval torture device, also known as the breaking wheel. Rundle likens living in the USA to being strapped to one, calling the song an anti-fascist and anti-Christian nationalist track. It deals with the cognitive dissonance between the hopeful world she imagined as a young person and the one she sees today. The song touches on American corruption and wishes for a radical resistance, with a satirical edge that includes an uncaught reference to the Weather Underground.
“Don’t Delay Heaven” and Its Dog
This is a love song for the end times, originally written for Rundle’s dog, Red, who has three legs and hops while running. The chorus grew from watching Red move, and Rundle expanded it to include love for friends and lovers. She imagines escaping pain and finding a partner who sees her clearly. She admits she has that bond with a dog.
“Enough” and Its Rocket Crash
This song shares a structure with “Anvil,” drawing on “The Man Who Sold the World” and the story of Elijah being taken up into heaven. In Rundle’s version, Elijah is Elon Musk, and he gets torn apart by an angry god after crashing a rocket into the moon. She calls the act sad and empty, and she wonders aloud about what should be done.
The Two Tours Ahead
Rundle will support These Killing Times with two US tours this fall. She opens with solo dates as support for All Them Witches in October, then hits the road with her full band in November and December. Tickets are available now.
What the Track-By-Track Breakdown Shows
Rundle’s descriptions are personal and political at once. She moves between Plath, Chomsky, and the Weather Underground in one breath, then shifts to a dog hopping across a field. The songs are heavy, but her delivery is casual, almost conversational.
| Song | Theme |
|---|---|
| “God’s Picture” | Climate collapse, war, anti-Western hegemony |
| “Powerless” | Chomsky and Epstein, frustration, the hammer as symbol |
| “Anvil” | Patriarchy, vengeance, Christianity |
| “Catherine Wheel” | Anti-fascism, American corruption, satire |
| “Don’t Delay Heaven” | Love, dogs, escape |
| “Enough” | Elon Musk, religion, sadness |
The album is out now on vinyl and CD through Errant Child. The full track-by-track breakdown is available on the album page, where all six songs are detailed in Rundle’s own words.
Our View on the Record
The record is a dense one, and Rundle’s willingness to name names — Epstein, Chomsky, the Weather Underground — gives it a specificity that sets it apart from more general protest music. The quieter moments land harder because the louder ones are so pointed.
Rundle’s visual imagination as a writer comes through in every description. She sees scenes, and she wants listeners to see them too.
The two tours this fall give fans a chance to hear these songs live with the full band arrangement that shaped them.
These Killing Times is a record about anger, love, and the space between them. It is also a record about the hammer, the wheel, and the people who refuse to be broken.
See the video the story is built around at Consequence.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.