Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	82/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Drowned in Sound	(8/10)
The Independent
NME	(8/10)
The Phoenix
Pitchfork	(8.5/10)
PopMatters	(9/10)
Rolling Stone	(favorable)
Slant Magazine
The Village Voice	(favorable)

Past Life Martyred Saints is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and guitarist Erika M. Anderson (also known as EMA), former lead singer of the noise-folk band Gowns, released in the United States on May 10, 2011, under the relatively unknown label Souterrain Transmissions. After disbanding, Anderson began working on material for a solo act, but she endured many failed attempts to successfully record before finally receiving an offer from an independent record label. The album is noted for showcasing Anderson's vulnerability, lyrically dealing with themes of self-harm, drug use, and unsuccessful relationships.

Past Life Martyred Saints debuted to critical praise from contemporary music critics for both its emotional depth and raw pain, appearing on numerous critics' polls and year-end lists. The album yielded four singles; however, each one failed to enter any charts upon release. Subsequently, the album achieved little chart success, entering solely on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart at number twenty in the United States.

Anderson toured with other various music acts during the latter part of 2011 to promote the album.

Anderson played guitar for the experimental rock project Amps for Christ until the early 2000s. In 2006, she shaped the noise-folk band Gowns with The Mae Shi member and then-boyfriend Ezra Buchla. On February 5, 2010, Anderson announced the official disbandment of Gowns, which coincided with the ending of her personal relationship with Buchla. In the announcement, Anderson wrote "We were tapping into some very raw emotions, and I'm ultimately proud of the risks we took. In spite of anything else, I feel like we were honest, and I feel like we were brave." She further commented that the band members "haven't ruled out the possibility of future collaborations."

After Gowns disbanded, Anderson began putting songs together for a solo project. She took many attempts to meet with record labels about the possibility of recording an extended play, but received few responses, leading her into a depression. However, before she decided to return from West Oakland to her parents' basement in South Dakota, she received a contract offer from indie label Souterrain Transmissions to release a solo album.

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Wikipedia