Avalanche United is the second studio album by American rock band, I Am the Avalanche, released by I Surrender Records on October 11, 2011. Following the release of their eponymous debut album in 2005, the band's activity slowed. Vocalist Vinnie Caruana went through a divorce and subsequently wrote an abundance of material. I Am the Avalanche recorded Avalanche United between February and July 2011 at Studio 159 in Waldwick, New Jersey. Described as a melodic hardcore and punk rock album, Avalanche United also features material written by guitarist Mike Ireland.
Avalanche United received generally positive reviews from music critics, some praising the musicianship. "Holy Fuck" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" were released as singles in August and September 2011, respectively, before the release of the album. To promote Avalanche United, I Am the Avalanche supported the bands Saves the Day and Bayside on their co-headlining US tour, and released a music video for "Brooklyn Dodgers". The band ended the year with a headlining UK tour. In the first half of 2012, the band toured the UK and the US again, and appeared on that year's Warped Tour.
Background and recording
I Am the Avalanche released their eponymous debut album in late 2005, through Drive-Thru Records. Though the band was out of the public eye for some time, they frequently went on regional tours. Eventually, the band members settled into their home life and day jobs, performing shows infrequently. Vocalist Vinnie Caruana married an English woman whom he later divorced. This led to him writing a large amount of material. In contrast to their previous album, which was written in Seattle, the band wrote new material in New York City.
I Am the Avalanche recorded the album at Studio 159, in Waldwick, New Jersey, between February and July 2011. Drummer Brett Romnes was Avalanche Uniteds producer, assisted by Brian Turner and Greg Altman. Brian McTernan performed additional drum production at Salad Days Studio in Baltimore, Maryland. American musician Machine mixed the recordings at The Machine Shop Recording Studios in Belleville, New Jersey. Alan Douches mastered the album at West West Side Music in New York City. In between recording sessions, Caruana reunited with his previous band the Movielife for a series of performances between May and August 2011.
Composition and lyrics
Musically, the sound of the Avalanche United explores melodic hardcore and punk rock. Discussing the album title, Caruana said that it "stands for the band, family, friends and fans – one big gang." Caruana wrote the lyrics and guitarist Mike Ireland wrote the music for "Holy Fuck", "Amsterdam", "I'll Be Back Around" and "Gratitude"; Caruana wrote the music for the remaining songs. Anthony Raneri of Bayside arranged "I'll Be Back Around" and "Dead Friends". Caruana's voice emulated the vocal style he used on The Movielife's This Time Next Year (2000).
The opening track "Holy Fuck" is an aggressive pop punk song about Caruana's divorce. The next songs, "Brooklyn Dodgers" and "Amsterdam" come across as a mix between the Gaslight Anthem and the Ramones. "Brooklyn Dodgers" is dedicated to what Caruana dubbed the "real New York". Caruana wrote it in an apartment he shared with bassist Kellen Robson in Queens, New York. "Amsterdam" tells of the band's experiences in the Netherlands while being on drugs. "I'll Be Back Around" sees Caruana dealing with anxiety disorder. "Is This Really Happening?" is Caruana's first love song, and is followed by "This One's on Me", a drinking song. "Dead Friends" is about dying young and not living life to its fullest potential.
Caruana said "You've Got Spiders" was written about "little weasels who try to scratch their way into our lives". "The Grave Digger's Argument" is about a gravedigger coming to terms that the only way to be rid of his wife is to bury her in his backyard. It recalled the work of Lifetime, and features a vocal appearance from Raneri. "Casey's Song" is about Caruana's friend of the same name who commands large boats. With "The Place You Love is Gone", Caruana said: "We, as people, take everything for granted. ... Sometimes a life-changing thing will happen and wake you up." "Gratitude" is dedicated to the band's fans, family members and friends for their support. The song ends with a group chant of the album's title.