"The Loudest Engine" features a sound adapted to the genres of folk and rock, more so than the previous two Howling Bells records. Juanita explained that the band relied less on the sound technology that was prominent in "Radio Wars", instead returning to the more organic state of "Howling Bells". For the new album, Joel was inspired by prog rock and krautrock acts such as Amon Düül and Aphrodite's Child. Howling Bells were inspired by The Doors documentary "When You're Strange", which the members watched just before beginning to record "The Loudest Engine".