"The Loudest Engine" was first issued in Australia in September 2011. The album received mostly favourable reviews from music critics, but it did receive its share of negative response as well. "Mojo" magazine rated the release 8/10 and praised it as the band's finest album to date. On the opposite end of the spectrum, "NME" rated it 2/10 and claimed that it "flat in a puddle of MOR." "The Loudest Engine" charted in both the UK and Australia. To coincide with the release of the album, Howling Bells played a short six-date tour of the UK. In November, they supported Elbow in Europe, and later that month they returned to Australia, where they headlined shows in December. Following this, bass guitarist Brendan Picchio left the band and was eventually replaced with Gary Daines.