Since their inception, Bellhead have set out to own quite a distinctive niche. A sound that mysteriously binds lo-hi, punk, experimental, industrial, and pop, Bellhead’s trajectory has been nothing short of noteworthy. Their latest EP follows suit with a short and sweet collection of immediate catchy cuts that showcase what Bellhead are all about.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Bellhead is a male-female duo composed of a pair of bassists and a drum machine, and while their Spotify bio states that the band features “No Guitar, No BS”, I’ll let this personal insult pass just because their music is immensely good. Threats is the title of Bellhead’s latest 7-song EP. Engineered by Neil Strauch and mastered by Carl Saff, Threats is a massive sounding listen. The bass-on-bass arrangements are equally meaty and skeletal and just incredible to witness, just like the tight and snappy songs themselves. Featuring the dusty baritone of the duo’s male half in the forefront of the vocal arrangement makes for a gritty listening experience that heightens the juicy tension created by the slumbering electronically generated beats and intense bass riffs.
The duo are no strangers to blending hardcore industrial cues with some glittery, attractive, and catchy pop. Is it about death by drowning and revenge? Yes. Is it catchy and strangely attractive? Absolutely. The album features 5 original, new songs, and 2 remixes. Starting with the titular cut ‘Threats’, Bellhead introduce us to their ingenious use of the bass. With a trebly riff that could be easily mistaken for a BS guitar, the duo’s inventiveness is impressive. The song itself is dynamic and gripping, featuring brooding verses with whispered, demonic vocals, and an abrupt explosion into a noisy and intense chorus. A fantastic introduction into the band’s style. ‘Heart Shaped Hole’ follows. A track that features again in the end of the record as a remix by Clubdrugs, ‘Heart Shaped Hole’ sounds just like if Kasabian did heavy metal, and there’s a couple of lines on the song that defied my beliefs as to how much you can stretch the sound of the bass guitar. While the song is more hardcore than ‘Threats’, with a heavier hand and a less subtle attention to dynamics, it introduces the hardcore side of Bellhead rather well.
‘Shutters + Stutters’ feature some of the album’s boniest riffs and strangest bass sounds. A laid back and terrifying sound, a brooding riff and a modulated bass tone make this cut easily the EP’s most imaginative, and my personal favorite. ‘No Dead Horses’ features a bumpy beat, dissonant piano riffs, and a foreboding sound. A truly relentless cut full of cues from horror music and with an experimental flair, ‘No Dead Horses’ might be among the album’s more challenging listens, it is also its most memorable, leaving the biggest mark, a racing heart and a wide smile. ‘Double Jeopardy’ is the song on the EP with the heaviest leanings to conventional rock sounds. With a stadium sized riff that would sound at home (almost) among Imagine Dragons’ larger than life riffing, and while there is zero semblance between the two outfits, ‘Double Jeopardy’ is just sweet, juicy, and catchy.
The album then features a hardcore club remix of Bellhead’s own ‘Bad Taste’, released in 2023’s Good Intentions EP, prepared by Stabbing Westward’s Chris Hall. The grotesque howls are now pure awesome, the club beats are invigorating, in a find-someone-to-kill kind of way, and the song is just immensely massive. Heart Shaped Hole’s remix features ambient pads that howl, screeching and creamy synths, and a cut that’s far softer than the original cut, while remaining steadfastly dark and ominous. Terrific.
Bellhead’s Threats is a joyous listen. Exhilarating as it is blood-curdling, the duo craft some deliciously eerie and catchy tunes. Meaty and impeccably crafted, the song’s cradle the line between intricate and haphazard in such a delightful way that makes them easy nuggets, while sounding like absolutely uneasy bangers. Quite the refreshing listen.
