In the space of just one year (if that), The Blueprint have gone from being a side project of Nottingham's finest bands, (Consumed, earthtone9, and Pitchshifter) to being labelled a supergroup. The material on display on 'Ecliptic', their second EP, definitely reflects that.

Every bit as intelligent and progressive as you'd expect from musicians of such calibre, 'Ecliptic' is a ferocious chunk of arty post-hardcore, churned from the guts and packing a punch. Implementing complex song structures, sweeping melodies, and battering riffs alongside Karl Middleton's impressive vocals only strengthens the mix, especially when they've extracted the electronic interludes featured on debut '*zero*zero*one*', and gone for something altogether more straight-ahead.

Standout tracks such as 'Hail of Splinters' and 'Scorched Earth Policy' show us what The Blueprint are all about; boasting melody, ferocity and passion in equally sized, gargantuan proportions. Supergroup indeed.

For fans of: Thrice, Sparta