Punknews.org | I Am the Avalanche

Review Navigator

Features

Reviews

I Am the Avalanche

I Am the Avalanche
2005
Drive-Thru

I Am the Avalanche - I Am the Avalanche (Cover Artwork)

Review by: CherryColaRain
See others by this writer

I Am The Avalanche home page (link)

Only registered users
can post comments

Published on October 21st 2005

It's been almost three years since the Movielife broke up. They had some good music, some not so good. They were your typical pop-punk band, yet with this edge to music I can't quite describe that made them better than most bands in the genre. Vinnie's new band I Am the Avalanche has managed to put some of the Movielife's best properties into their solid, self-titled debut.

The record starts off with a catchy tune, "Dead and Gone," which will mostly tell you what the rest of the album is about. Most of the guitar work, drum and bass work is actually very good considering the Movielife's past simplicity. Most of the songs are either fun with a catchy rythm, or powerful with some strong lyrics that are definitely noteworthy. And even though most of the album revolves around the emo cliché of girls, they are still rather entrataining to listen to. The single and probably my favorite song on the album, "A New Disaster," is the album's most powerful song and definitely tells you that I Am the Avalanche will be going places if they ditch their pop influences for a more solid punk rock sound. "Murderous" is a downfall, not because the entire song is bad, but because there is this reggae guitar strum going through almost half the song that prevents any strength the song would otherwise carry. "My Second Restraining Order," the album's closer, is actually a breath of fresh air because it's a rather slow song yet not slow enough to leave a "boring" ending to the CD.

I Am the Avalanche are nothing new. Most people will say they still sound a lot like The Movielife. But they are probably one of Drive-Thru's best bands, and frankly, it's just a fun CD to listen to and it is worth the blank it's saved on.

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Posted by darkstarm on 2006-02-02 21:12:43

this is pretty alright. dude's vocals are cool.

Posted by md40_07 on 2005-12-28 16:46:45

These guys are so much better than Nightmare Of You. They went from a punk/pop band on drive-thru to a indie rock band. I bet those guys are the real reason that they broke up in the first place.

Posted by bloodbrothersburnpiano on 2005-10-24 21:12:33

i have absolutely loved "symphony" since it was a demo, but it gets no love. it's such an intense track. tell me you don't get excited when he shouts "promise me, if we both die violently, that the blood dripping from our chin is a symphony" for the first time. incredible.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 24, 2005 at 12:32 PM (EDT)

The MovieLife are sure a tough act to follow up, but Vinnie does it very well with IATA. IATA show that there still is hope for drive thru records. Be sure to check out the track "murderous".

-chris

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 22, 2005 at 10:59 PM (EDT)

this cd is pretty good, which is odd, since its drive thru.

i drive thru now has a great band in rx bandits and an ok band here, but nothing else, and dont go cartin around your steel train cause i'm not having any of that

Posted by tristan on 2005-10-22 22:56:36
My Score:

Nightmare Of You > I Am The Avalanche

Posted by CherryColaRain on 2005-10-22 00:48:05

I never said i didn't like "Murderous" I agree, the chorus to that song is awsome. But reggae tunes give me goose bumps.

Posted by TheCaptain on 2005-10-21 14:07:44

I dig this album a lot, but I thought the demo version of "Symphony" was better than the one that ended up on here. The one on the album is slower, especially in the chorus. Doesn't flow as well. Anybody else think the same?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 21, 2005 at 2:06 PM (EDT)

I think Vinnie says it best in "my second restraining order" when he shouts "that get your attention asshole!?"

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 21, 2005 at 1:14 PM (EDT)

The demos are probably the easiest tracks to get into. If I didn't like Vinny's voice and lyrical style, I would probably find the album to be average and a little boring as well. Eventhough I hate to admit it, being a huge Movielife fan.

Posted by Inspection12e on 2005-10-21 12:45:40

This is what I get for trying to get on the net when I have alot of work to do today.

Posted by 8dollarclarinetsolo on 2005-10-21 12:17:16
My Score:

i dont think this is bad, but the guy doesnt always write teh best lyrics. i took a beating is the only song thats really good, and some of the slower songs get boring, but i dont think its bad by any means

Posted by poopypants on 2005-10-21 11:19:08
My Score:

"Brian there are three Movielife fill lengths."

yes, but how many full lengths do they have?

and this album was boring as shit but i only gave it one listen. i'll give it a few more but....eh...sounds like boring movielife slowed down w/ slightly heavier guitars but not really any more complex, just trying to sound more complex.

paul

Posted by theevilmonkey on 2005-10-21 11:11:22

Maybe it's just me, but this is a boring album. Vinnie doesn't even seem like he's trying, with lazy vocals and a lack of power in any of the songs. The one song the reviewer didn't like, "Murderous", has the best chorus of any song on the CD, as a thumping drum beat comes in to give the song some much needed energy.

Posted by Inspection12e on 2005-10-21 11:04:05

Brian there are three Movielife fill lengths.

Posted by Marlon on 2005-10-21 10:38:46

I have to see this band live next month while I'm in New York.

Posted by superdude on 2005-10-21 09:43:48

This review was pretty good, but here's how I would make it better:

1. If you're an avalanche, how can you play guitar?

2. Will you ever be able to tour in the South without melting?

3. I went to my local fast-food drive-thru yesterday to find this record and they said all they had was hamburgers. What's going on here?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 21, 2005 at 8:54 AM (EDT)

I am the boner

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 21, 2005 at 6:13 AM (EDT)

fuck it. i'm down with the avalanche. good live show. vinny is playing guitar now. three across the front is noisy. good shit.
-TOBB

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 21, 2005 at 5:07 AM (EDT)

it's been two years.

Posted by colin on 2005-10-21 01:27:27

fuckn "this time next year" was great back in high school

but nothing the movielife, nor any of their goddamn spin offs, ever did or has done could compare to that

excuse grammar, i'm drunk.

Posted by colton on 2005-10-21 00:44:53

C'moooon Movielife reunion.

Posted by moneenerd on 2005-10-21 00:34:52

Members of this band were supposedly also in the almighty Scraps & Heart Attacks.

Its a damn shame too.

Good thing This Is Hell still rips shit up!

Posted by lou on 2005-10-21 00:32:21

do you really think "[they] will be going places if they ditch their pop influences for a more solid punk rock sound?"

i haven't heard this yet, but i'm going to assume it sounds like the movielife. which isn't a bad thing. i might check them out when they come through erie.

Posted by johnnydanger on 2005-10-21 00:30:35

i actually really enjoy the album, surprising the hell out of myself

Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-10-21 00:29:58

whats the booklet art like? is it cool? comic booky like on the outside?

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@Yahoo.com

Posted by skaboom on 2005-10-21 00:25:29
My Score:

Reminds me very much of "Forty Hour Train", with slightly more creative guitars. Some of the lyrics are a little bit cringe-inducing, but it just seems like his writing style. Theyve got a good sound going, though, especially in the heavier parts.

Posted by inagreendase on 2005-10-21 00:18:27
My Score:

Decent, but not as good as either of the Movielife's full-lengths. Vinnie's songwriting isn't as strong, either. The demos showed a lot of promise but really ended up as the standouts on here.