After a sprinkling of singles in the past two years, the internet and hardcore community has been waiting early for new Hands of God material.

The San Jose based band are know for being rooted in the brutality of the hardcore world.

So, it is no surprise that their new EP Blueprint for Self Destruction, plays off this fact. However, if the fist swinging side of hardcore isn’t your thing don’t let that deter you.

I mean don’t get me wrong, I am sure if I were to see Hands of God live I’d be ducking for cover at every break down, but what makes for interesting listening is the intelligence of some of the bands riffs.

After a brief intro track, the leading song of the EP ‘No Mercy’ sets the tone for the six-track record.

From the off the slow build of drums along with chugging guitars just invites the inner mosher in you to come out.

Singer Jeffrey Wang’s vocals are abrasive, yet rhythmic in their tone and this is sets up nicely for the guest spot from none other than Year of the Knife’s Tyler Mullen who comes in and really adds brutality to the song.

From here on the EP does become a little bit formulaic in nature: chugging riff, cool thrash riff followed by a beat down, but that is totally fine it works for the band.

When you get to ‘245A’ there is a bit of a throw back element to the track, with the trembling guitars at the start, with dive bombs smattered throughout, all mixed in with a big riff in the middle. This is where in my opinion Hands of God are at their best.

For all the positives that this EP has, there are other bands who are doing a similar thing, and unfortunately Blueprint for Self Destruction may get lost in the shuffle along the way.