Chicago’s shadow-drenched post-punk duo BELLHEAD are back with a vengeance, and their new 7-track EP Threats—released April 8, 2025—isn’t just another addition to their discography, it’s a bold, blaring statement of evolution. For a band that’s built a reputation on raw minimalism, thunderous basslines, and an aesthetic that once embraced monochrome mystery, Threats is both a departure and a declaration. It’s an unfiltered burst of color, sound, and defiance—and it might just be their best work yet.
For longtime fans, this release feels like a long-awaited payoff. The band has been teasing its arrival since their last EP Good Intentions dropped in 2023, and the patience of their followers has finally been rewarded. But Threats isn’t just a treat for the loyal—it’s also an accessible gateway drug for the uninitiated. If this is your first time stepping into the dark underworld of BELLHEAD, prepare to be addicted.
From the first rumble of the opening and title track “Threats,” it’s clear that this isn’t a band content with resting on past glories. The song hits with immediate urgency—layered, aggressive, and full of tightly wound energy that feels like it could erupt at any second. Ivan Russia’s snarling delivery locks in with Karen Righeimer-Schock’s haunting harmonies, and the chemistry between them burns hot throughout the EP. There’s something unrelentingly human about their dynamic, like rage and tenderness colliding in the same breath.
What’s most striking is how BELLHEAD has matured while maintaining their distinct DNA. The driving grit and darkness are still there, but they’re filtered through new sonic lenses. Tracks like “Heart Shaped Hole” and “Shutters + Stutters” showcase songwriting that’s sharper, riskier, and even more emotionally volatile than ever before. “No Dead Horses” pulses with a sort of post-apocalyptic energy, while “Double Jeopardy” is a sneering anthem that sounds like it was recorded in a warehouse on fire. There’s no filler here—every song demands your full attention.
Gone, too, is the band’s iconic black-and-white aesthetic. Threats arrives cloaked in vivid yellow, a jarring and deliberate shift that mirrors the transformation within the music itself. The cover art, now featuring a full-color photo of the duo, strips away the mystery in favor of confrontation. This is BELLHEAD staring straight at you, daring you to look back—and maybe flinch.
The EP is engineered by Neil Strauch and mastered by Carl Saff, whose fingerprints ensure that every creaking bassline and gut-punching beat hits with maximum impact. There’s a clarity to the chaos that elevates each track, making even the most abrasive moments feel beautifully intentional.
And then there are the remixes—bonus tracks that go far beyond mere reworks. The “Bad Taste” remix, featuring additional vocals by Stabbing Westward’s Chris Hall, catapults the track into club territory, complete with industrial stomp and enough pulse to rattle the floorboards. It’s a version of BELLHEAD you didn’t know you needed. Meanwhile, Clubdrugs’ remix of “Heart Shaped Hole” is a psychedelic detour through echoing corridors and haunted textures, transforming the original into a spectral, hallucinogenic experience. These aren’t just alternate takes—they’re fully realized, immersive reinterpretations.
The Threats era is more than just an EP—it’s a full-on campaign. BELLHEAD is taking their sound across the Midwest and beyond with a sprawling 2025 tour schedule that’s already lighting up venues with electricity and sweat. The duo’s live shows are the stuff of underground legend, a gritty fusion of theatrical energy and sonic intensity that feels somewhere between a séance and a revolution. If they’re coming to your city, don’t walk—run.
BELLHEAD 2025 TOUR DATES
3/12 – Reggies Rock Club – Chicago, IL (w/ Gost and Dead Register)
3/15 – RPL Nordlof Center – Rockford, IL (w/ William Faith / The Funeral March)
3/21 – Art Sanctuary – Louisville, KY (w/ Living Dead Girl / Black Season Witch)
3/27 – Black Circle Brewery – Indianapolis, IN (w/ Amulet / Until We R Dust)
3/28 – Port Of Kenosha – Kenosha, WI (w/ The Yates Kids / Something Is Waiting)
4/05 – The Hook and Ladder – Minneapolis, MN – Fireseek Festival
4/24 – Rose Bowl Tavern – Urbana, IL – Bat Factory
4/25 – Art Sanctuary – Louisville, KY (w/ Radio Arcane DJs)
4/26 – Spectrum Record Lounge – Cape Girardeau, MO (w/ Gary Robert and Community)
4/27 – Sk8bar – Kansas City, MO
5/03 – Liar’s Club – Chicago, IL (w/ Skatenigs)
5/04 – Falcon Bowl – Milwaukee, WI (w/ Skatenigs / Choke Chain)
5/09 – Smalls – Detroit, MI – Fixation Festival (w/ Assemblage 23, Cyanotic, Al1ce, and more)
5/30 – Chicago Steampunk Convention
8/9 – Healer – Indianapolis, IN – Bats Over Indy Fest
With Threats, BELLHEAD hasn’t just returned—they’ve reinvented, redefined, and reignited. It’s a rare moment when a band takes a bold leap forward without sacrificing an ounce of what made them special to begin with. This EP is a love letter to their roots and a battle cry for their future. If this is what 2025 sounds like, we’re all in.
Follow BELLHEAD:
