The album was released on 1 April 2011. Ahead of its release, Bell X1 released the track "Hey Anna Lena" on 18 January before an official single, "Velcro", on 1 March. The album received mixed reviews with a Metacritic aggregate score of 58/100. "State" called the LP "an emphatic return to form", commenting that the band sounded "rejuvenated". Similarly, "entertainment.ie" noted that it felt as if the band were "hungering for something new" on the record, and that they deserved kudos for "refusing to make music for anyone but themselves". The feeling was echoed by a review on "Addict Music" that felt the music on "Bloodless Coup" was "hinting at a new direction". The Sunday Times named "Bloodless Coup" its CD of The Week in a 5 star review, while the "Boston Herald" gave the record an "A" grading, calling the songwriting and playing "superb".