When the creative powerhouse Gideon Koval puts his energy into a new project, you have to be curious.

Ronnie Herbolzheimer

“Seth Gecko” is the name of the project, “From Elsewhere” the product. Seth Gecko, wasn’t that the ultra-brutal, ultra-cool robbery killer in From Dusk Till Dawn? The guys in the band look a lot friendlier though – hipsters and hippies.

“From Elsewhere” is available on vinyl and as a download (with three bonus tracks), so to speak the flanks of the preserved music, the CD in the middle is missing, although it is probably intended for the band’s presumed target audience… So to be.

So, a new band? Possibly maybe, the production of “From Elsewhere” took three years, with three different recording engineers – the final sound director was Gideon’s brother Dominik.

So, new musicians? Possibly maybe, the gentlemen are all around forty, don’t want to be or become professionals (but rehearse weekly and purposefully). Gideon Koval as drummer has joined singer Walter Kodet, the two guitarists David Reibenschuh and Rico Windisch, bassist Robert Petschmann and keyboardist Markus Zach. Or maybe he’s hijacked the band – like the original Seth Gecko, the Fuller family and their camper van. hijacked? Insofar as he is credited as composer and lyricist on six of the eight tracks on the LP. How does a true Styrian translate his worldview into texts? In English of course.

What is there to hear? Classic hard or heavy rock. Think “Lynyrd Skynyrd” minus 1 piece guitarist, think “Steamhammer” minus sax gurgles and you have a vague idea of ​​what’s on here. Hearty guitar riffs, a lot of solo work, but without the annoying frenzy of studying, fat bass, fat drums, keyboard carpets and varied vocals, sixties polyphony. Not without humor, the Elvis and Whitney Huston quotes in the bonus track “Dance” are really a good gag. 

The LP begins with “Shopping Center”, slow and heavy, a thunderstorm from the drums in the breaks, “Ahah” choirs. “Desolate Band” follows, very solemn, with a blues feeling.

“Tonight”, well arranged, telephone voice, falsetto tones with a Gillan touch, wahwah guitar, boller bass – 1970 is alive. “Izzy Day” – Bowie meets Krautrock. “Once” – more Gillan and more than a hint of early “Deep Purple”. “Holy Barbara”, dominated by a thick choir – sounds like a whole stadium is singing. “Stay” begins with a distorted Rhodes, which should have been given more space in the rest of the song. “Railway” thrives on its heavy guitar riffs as a contrast to riff-like choirs.

The production is very good, powerful but transparent, the songs come out of the speakers in widescreen format. It was recorded the old school way – the band live and together, just the vocals afterwards. Only in this way does it become so compact.

Which brings us back to the original Seth Gecko, who remains victorious after all his adventures and makes off with the loot.