If a Venn diagram comprised of Coheed & Cambria and Survivor seems odd to you, the sliver of overlap between both disparate long-familiar entities may be even more of a surprise: Boston-forged cult dance-punks Guerilla Toss. At the moment, that outfit is gearing up for a string of dates opening for the noted operatic-prog band (as well as Primus, which I guess makes a little more sense), and their live lineup features former bassist and recent Survivor contestant Ben Katzman. There truly are no boundaries to pop culture any more!
In addition to these shows, DeGreaser mastermind Katzman is also prepping for the release of his own new material in the form of the Tears on the Beach LP—both a reflection on his off-camera experience on the reality TV series, as the title suggests, and a playful celebration of the community of musicians who’ve supported him along the way. In fact the record’s latest single “Final Vibal” sees him enlisting his former/current bandmates in Guerilla Toss, with a very GT-esque dance-y disorientation abetting Katzman’s buzzy riffs on the track. “‘Final Vibal’ is truly a celebration of the homies who stuck it out together for the long run,” Katmzan shares of the track. “We’ve all come a long way since starting out in basements, so to be able to reconvene and rock at this point where our dreams are becoming realities feels so sick.
Noting the track’s subject matter and genetic makeup, he adds: “‘Final Vibal’ is definitely a nod to Survivor’s final Tribal [Council]. Dance-punk music laden with kraut metal guitar riffs sprinkled with congas and all things shred.”
Tap into the shred below, and pre-order Tears on the Beach—which additionally features collaborations from members of Mannequin Pussy, illuminati hotties, Shannon & the Clams, and more—ahead of its August 23 release here.
