I Am the Avalanche

by Stewart MasonA second-generation post-hardcore act, I Am the Avalanche features members of several earlier emo and screamo outfits. Singer and songwriter Vinnie Caruana was the leader of the Movielife, guitarist Brandon Swanson was in Further Seems Forever, and bassist Kellen Robson is a former member of Scraps and Heart Attacks. Formed in Brooklyn by Caruana in 2004 after the Movielife broke up (and following an abortive stint with the nascent Head Automatica), I Am the Avalanche was -- unsurprisingly, for an emo band -- first inspired by a bad breakup. After writing a number of songs about the failed relationship, Caruana enlisted Swanson, Robson, second guitarist Michael Ireland, and drummer Brett "Ratt" Romnes to perform them, taking the band name from a line in one of those songs. (In the band's official bio, Caruana claims no prior knowledge of the fact that "I am the avalanche" is a key line in Stephen Dobyns' autobiographical poem "Oh, Immobility, Death's Vast Associate," from his collection Pallbearers Envying the One Who Rides.) Signing with the indie label Drive-Thru Records in 2005, I Am the Avalanche debuted on half of a split CD single with their labelmates the Early November, previewing their debut album with two early demos. Produced by Barrett Jones (Foo Fighters), who also adds keyboards, I Am the Avalanche was released in September 2005.