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Album Review: I Am The Avalanche ‘Wolverines’

By Darren Hassan

Posted on March 21, 2014

Just released today, I Am The Avalanche’s (IATA) latest offering ‘Wolverines’ released through Rude Records is sure to be a winner with its indie/punk rock edge and meaningful lyrics reflective of Vinnie Caruana’s physical and emotional pain after an injury sustained on tour.

From the opening riff of ‘Two Runaways’, reminiscent of AC/DC’s ‘Highway To Hell’, it is clear that IATA have launched full throttle with this album and given it all from the get go

Just released today, I Am The Avalanche’s (IATA) latest offering ‘Wolverines’ released through Rude Records is sure to be a winner with its indie/punk rock edge and meaningful lyrics reflective of Vinnie Caruana’s physical and emotional pain after an injury sustained on tour.

From the opening riff of ‘Two Runaways’, reminiscent of AC/DC’s ‘Highway To Hell’, it is clear that IATA have launched full throttle with this album and given it all from the get go. The band consisting of Vinnie Caruana (vocals), Brandon Swanson (guitar), Brett “The Ratt” Romnes (drums) and John Oliva (bass) have banded together on ‘Wolverines’ to deliver a solid, catchy collection of songs that capture the sound of angst in this anthemic compilation. Much tighter than ‘Avalanche United’ , ‘Wolverines’ shows signs of the band maturing not only as musicians, but individually. Songs like ‘The Shape I’m In‘ back this up, but don’t for a second think that IATA have mellowed so much as to be doting old rockers, because that’s simply not the case. ‘177’ and ‘Save Your Name’ and ‘One Last Time’ are tracks that still have the distinctive punk sound supported by Caruana’s emotive vocals and ‘fire in the belly’ approach to songwriting. Having said that though, IATA‘s style is decidedly true to the punk minimalist approach of 3 chord riffs, repeated choruses yet catchy verses telling the stories of how Caruana sees his world. It’s not perfect, but that’s the whole purpose of indie rock- to breakaway from the mainstream and make a statement through music with the focus on the message, not so much the technicalities of music.

If you’re a fan of modern punk, then ‘Wolverines’ is just the thing to get that head banging and the blood pumping.

Reviewed by Darren Hassan

Read an interview with Vinnie Caruana here, and Get ‘WOLVERINES” Here:

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DIGITAL ALBUM

Wolverines Track Listing:

01. Two Runaways
02. 177
03. The Shape I’m In
04. Young Kerouacs
05. Wolverines
06. Anna Lee
07. Save Your Name
08. Where Were You?
09. My Lion Heart
10. One Last Time