I Am The Avalanche – Wolverines

Three long years ago I Am the Avalanche finally managed to step out from the shadow of lead vocalist Vinnie Caruana’s previous band, The Movielife. Their debut album and split contributions were an awkward mess that featured the ghost of The Movielife mixed in with a variety of musical experimentation. The Movielife were a great pop punk group, but until 2011 it appeared that Caruana’s magic had faded. But Avalanche United showcased a group who had undergone dramatic musical maturation. Stepping away from the pop that perpetuated their previous work, the group focused their sound into a promising rock group which centered on Caruana’s evolution from smooth vocals to the gritty throated rasp that he currently sings with. While the album was a bright spot in his post The Movielife career, it is understandable that Wolverines would be approached with a little trepidation. 

From the opening riff of Two Runaways, which is an obvious homage to AC/DC, it is clear that I Am the Avalanche are ready to continue along the path that they chose on Avalanche United. The gruff vocals and rock guitars build upon the sound that is now familiar to fans of the band. The opener is a teenage love song, perfect for the soundtrack to a True Romance style movie, gritty and sweet at the same time. They keep things moving at a fast pace with 177, a short track that is reminiscent of Off With Their Heads‘ best work. The rhythm section takes center stage, with the solid bass line and steady drum beat holding the song together. Lead single, The Shape I’m In, is a perfect introduction to the album. It combines a vague punk sound with a poppy chorus, providing a smooth transition from their last album and this one. Wolverines blows by at less than a minute and a half, yet it contains enough substance that it feels like it’s a fully fleshed out 4 minute track. The great Anna Lee again focuses on the common lyrical topic of lost love. 

The group don’t show the dramatic growth that they exhibited between their first two full lengths, but Avalanche United was such a great album that they left themselves little to improve upon. Instead they stay safely within the the boundaries of the musical image that they created on that album, choosing to stick to what worked well last time. Musical growth is nice, but I Am the Avalanche have released a strong follow up to their watermark, bringing a familiar and welcome sound to Wolverines.