Album Review: Seahaven - Winter Forever

Seahaven bring together hardcore elements and mix them with a post-punk aesthetic likened to bands such as Crime in Stereo and 'Daisy'-era Brand New. The acclaimed 'Ghost' EP from last year felt like a re-invigoration of the same energy and style that Brand New brought with 2009's 'The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Of Me'. 'Ghost' felt like a premature sign of things to come and Seahaven really beefed up everything with 'Winter Forever'.

First premiered in demo form on the Acoustic EP, 'Goodnight' provides a perfect introduction of Seahaven, showcasing heavy guitar riffs alongside Kyle Soto's insightful lyrics ("I've got god in the shoebox under my bed waiting for my fingers"). The band's constant versatility in dynamics is shown in key track 'It's Over' which provides shaky verses alongside a huge chorus.

The surprising, lo-fi 'Honey Bee' echoes back to last year's Acoustic EP, displaying a calmer, much more hushed side to Seahaven altogether, Soto's amazing voice tells an apologetic guilt driven story of unrequited love. Thematically, Soto's lyrics vary, going from alienation in religion up to the bass driven 'End of the World' which mostly speaks for itself. 'Winter Forever' fits amongst the likes of Brand New's 'The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Of Me' in terms of soundscapes and textures and their combination of a muddy grungy sound alongside a pop aesthetic only proves to push the genre a bit more.

4.5/5

'Winter Forever' is out November 8th through Run For Cover Records.

George Gadd