I Am the Avalanche

I Am the Avalanche formed in New York in 2004 around singer Vinnie Caruana, who had previously fronted Long Island punk band The Movielife and spent a short stint in Head Automatica before starting this group. The band's name comes from a lyric Caruana wrote for a song that was later scrapped, a phrase that also turns up, by his account coincidentally, in a Stephen Dobyns poem.

The group toured the United Kingdom before playing shows in the United States, then released its self-titled debut on Drive-Thru Records in 2005, produced by Barrett Jones. Drummer Brett Romnes, who also produces the band's records, guitarists Brandon Swanson and Michael Ireland, and bassist Kellen Robson filled out the lineup.

The sound sits between melodic hardcore, pop-punk and gruffer post-hardcore: hoarse, conversational vocals, big group choruses and lyrics that deal plainly with friendship, drinking, grief and getting older.

After a long gap, Avalanche United arrived in 2011, pulling away from the debut's heavier, mid-tempo rock feel toward the more melodic punk of bands like Descendents and Bad Religion. Wolverines followed later. Caruana has also recorded solo and with the reunited Movielife, but I Am the Avalanche remains his outlet for this heavier, shout-along material.