I Miss California and Every Dog I've Ever Met Grief can come in many forms and affect people in a multitude of ways. Some are able to channel this feeling into a form of a therapy that they incorporate into their art, while others become crippled by the weight of the tragedy. I Am The Avalanche frontman Vinnie Caruana shared the inspiration behind the band’s new studio album The Horror Show by explaining, “Experiencing ultimate loss will change you on a cellular level. About 75% of the lyrics were written after my best friend passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.” I Am The Avalanche are able to rally around their frontman’s deeply personal loss in his life with an album built on friendship, loss, grief, and with love and appreciation for their music and the legacy they’ve built for themselves as a band. Caruana continued, “This record can become a lifelong companion for those who let it in. The message is simple: You are stronger than you think you are and you are not alone.” Nearly 22 years into their career as a band, I Am The Avalanche have made another strong and memorable statement with The Horror Show.
The album opens on a somber note with a short, atmospheric song called “God’s Travel Plans,” as Caruana sings, “God’s travel plans did not include a manifest / What we do know / Is he skipped Long Island all together / And damned us all to burn forever.” These lyrics set the tone for the album and showcase the fragility of life in general. The title track is a barn-burner of a hardcore song with a great melodic breakdown in the chorus that finds Caruana pleading, “Grant me the courage / Gift me your strength / I haven’t been dreaming / We haven’t been ourselves.” It’s clear that the passing of his best friend is top of mind in his lyrical approach, and Caruana’s warm delivery makes it easy to root for his journey to find meaning.
”Laughing and Bleeding” is a great, driving anthem that is built around the dual-guitar attack from Mike Ireland and Chris Smith, who each add in unique parts to pair with Caruana’s smoother vocal cadence than the aggressive one-two punch of the opening two songs. The chorus is one of the better ones found on The Horror Show and I Am The Avalanche’s bulletproof discography as Caruana croons, “If I picked you up / Would you always stand by my side / When life hits back in a big way? / We’ll both go down swinging with the best of them / We’ve been so low / I feel high.” Vinnie Caruana continues to deal with the passing of his dear friend in his own way, and he uses his art/music as a therapeutic way of making sense of it all. The somber “I’m Not Dead (I Just Blinked and Never Saw The Light Again)” finds Caruana and his bandmates grappling with mortality as the vocalist ponders, “Can you conquer it? / The black cloud in your head / Do you take comfort in the misery? / Drowning in your sleep / Come alive / You’re not a martyr.” Through this investigation of his self-recovery through grief, Carauna makes another memorable moment in the set that is brimming with profound purpose.
After a brief atmospheric track of “Osprey” that allows the listener to catch a breath for a moment, “5:55” recalls the lowest of lows in Caruana’s battle with loss as he shares in the closing moments, “My head the ceiling beam / My feet the carpeting / Stapled true to the ground / I sway to the sound / Of your voice when you say to me / You’re no longer wandering / That you’ve been lost but so found / And that you won’t go very far / Without your boy.” The self-doubt creeps into his headspace as Caruana continues to search for the right words to say and make sense of his tragedy. The album’s best song comes in the form of “I Miss California and Every Dog I’ve Ever Met” that features a great pick-me-up beat from drummer Brett Romnes (who also produced the album) while the rest of the bandmates pick their spots to make for a memorable, summery song. The lyrics of, “And in case you’re asking / I’m not giving in / No I am not going anywhere / ‘Cuz all my friends alive and dead / They still walk with me from time to time / Always on my mind, always” paint a vivid picture of Caruana’s recovery journey, and he seems like he’s going to be okay through his battle with unexplainable loss.
The aggressive and heavy guitar tones of “True Legends Never Die” find Caruana dealing with this deep pain and loss as he shares in speedily fashion, “I’m at loss / Soul aches but I keep it movin’ / True legends never die.” “Alive On 14th Street” continue to add more context to Caruana’s lost friend, as he mentions the second verse, “In a dirty hallway / just like that, I found my purpose / I could feel the pain as it washed away / Is this moving on? / Is this living on?” that makes it seem like he is looking for guidance in his life. “Rogue Knife” continues down a similar lyrical path as Caruana shouts, “Making love to stifle the fear of death / For a moment we were free / Severely underestimating the value of a cigarette / Halfway through a funeral” to showcase his state of mind through mourning. “Trébuchet” closes out the fifth chapter in I Am The Avalanche’s career with a hard-hitting song as Caruana leaves the listener with, “I plead insanity / I’ve seen enough of reality.” It’s a heartbreaking admission from the front-man who was clearly going through a ton of emotions while writing these lyrics.
I Am The Avalanche prove that they’re one of the hardest working and most consistent bands in the melodic hardcore scene with another strong showing found on The Horror Show. By making the most of an unexpected journey through loss and tragedy, I Am The Avalanche have made another album worthy of immediate praise and recognition for its authenticity.