Label: Reference Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Holland's Dejafuse is the new project of ex-Autumn front woman Nienke de Jong. The band have just issued their self-titled debut and if you were looking for an Autumn clone you will be very disappointed. Dejafuse is definitely it's own entity and sets out to forge it's own path in the realm of edgy, hard rock. That is an endearing edeavor for the band and I am happy to say that they have done just that. Before getting into the music, the rest of the band line-up looks like this: Arno Krabman (lead guitars), Stefan Kemp (rhythm guitars), Bas van Dreunen (bass) and Ludwig Witt (drums). Now with the intros out of the way, on to the music.

The down and dirty guitar riff of "2Faced" sends us on our way and as an opener it makes a definite statement that is quick to grab your attention. "Brother" picks right up where the previous track left off and their is undeniable hunger and attitude in the songs that is quite obvious and engaging. This was definitely a highlight for me, the vocals are delivered in a bit of a different way and the song really gets the blood pumping. "Right Here" keeps things going steady and the quality of the music remains high. The next song "Wake" is a bit of a more up-tempo number that has a bouncy rhythm and more solid riffing. This would be a great choice for a single, in my opinion. "Clipper" offers a different feeling than the other material, it's got a bit of a blues feel to it and it is another highlight. Nienke's vocals are solid throughout the CD but on this track especially they are out of this world. Other highlights include: "Blanque Cheque", "Exploring", "Shapeshifting" and "More". The closing number the bluesy instrumental "Continuum", is really cool and a great way to end things. Nienke has a definite edge, swagger and attitude to her voice that you can't help but love. It fits the music perfectly and the rest of the musicians really compliment each other remarkably well. This CD caught me by surprise, in a good way.

Dejafuse has released a solid debut and one that should create a strong identity for the band. It will be fun to see how this band developes in years to come, but for right now the band has laid the foundation for a great beginning and a stellar career.

Rating : 9.0/10

Tracklist :

1. 2Faced
2. Brother
3. Right Here
4. Wake
5. Clipper
6. Blanque Cheque
7. Exploring
8. Shapeshifting
9. More
10. Wrapture
11. State Of Being
12. Continuum

Line Up :

• Ninx (Nienke De Jong)- Vocals
• Arno Krabman– Lead Guitars
• Stefan Kemp– Rhythm Guitars
• Bas Van Dreunen– Bass Guitar
• Ludwig Witt - Drums

Links :

Dejafuse Official MySpace

Dejafuse Official Site