In recent years there has been an uptake in the amount of bands who have taken on the aggressive, emotional, and quasi-hardcore sound Brand New has perfected. Such bands include Crime In Stereo and The Republic Of Wolves, and now Southern California’s Seahaven can be added to that list. The group had the opportunity to work with producer Zack Ohren and crafted one of the most impressive EPs released in 2010.
 
Ghost is a 28-minute emotional ride that never lets up from the first note through the last. The EP opens with “Plague,” a track that slowly builds toward chorus where singer Kyle Soto explodes into a vicious scream, much in the guise of Jesse Lacey, before the group drops back down as Soto sings “This is me // This is my disease.” It is as if the song is suspended in the air before crashing once again into a raucous ending powered by drummer James Phillips’s aggressive kit playing.
 
“Plague” is followed by the reckless “Birds,” where guitarist Michael Craver and Soto shred for four rewarding minutes as Soto sings, “You were the flood that hit this city // And you carried me away.” The song is a nice exemplar of the multiple ways aggression can be captured in a song. Contrary to “Plague,” “Birds” lacks the passionate screams but provides the listener with quick guitars and a catchy chorus that is similar to Taking Back Sunday, but with more bellicosity.
 
The one-two punch of “Bottled” and “Cobarde” show the versatility of Seahaven. The former is a melodramatic song that would not be out of place of Brand New’s Deja Entendu while the latter is slow-builder that explodes with Soto singing “Do you remember her face // Or just her body.” The title track, “Ghost,” is very similar to the Brand New song “Vices” but without its turn-of-the-century introduction. The listener will find Soto screaming his lungs out as Phillips attempts to keep pace on the drums for alittle over two minutes. It is a brilliantly executed tune.
 
The final two tracks, “Love” and “Head In The Sand (Binding Son),” are the best songs on the EP. “Love” has that classic early-2000’s New Jersey sound with Soto’s surprisingly catchy vocals complimented by the guest appearance of Set Your Goal’s Jordan Brown. The final track is by far the star of Ghost. In a way which is not commonplace on the EP, Seahaven slowly build the song up as Soto sings about his frustration and anger with his father’s absence from his life. It is an emotive and honest track that finds Seahaven combining all their techniques together into one awesome song. “Am I the only one // Or just one of many // Cause I need to know” Soto sings. It is a perfect way to end the EP.
 
It is difficult to talk about Ghost without comparing it to Brand New. The similarities are undeniable. Yet, to claim that Seahaven is a clone of Brand New would be irresponsible. Seahaven are a group built upon honesty, and their debut is a fantastically candid and passionate journey. They capture the sound of Brand New and release it in a uniquely Californian way.
 
****/*****

*This review was composed by Mike Meeze