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When you hear the buzzing drone of insects in the air, don't run; this is a time to listen. That sound heralds the first track of Italian Death Metal band Edema, from their debut album Default, released on Punishment 18 Records.

Default is all modern Death Metal, featuring a typical, over-the-top production. Add on top of that a ton of bad attitude. Taking cues from their Thrash Metal peers, Edema's sound has been influenced by American Death Metal as well as Hardcore. Striking as the combination of styles is, Edema succeeded on the Thrash front but when you get down to it, they weren't able to pull of the modern Death Metal very well.

What makes this debut special is the band's use of semi-technical riffs in order to avoid repetition. Several times over the course of the album, the heaviness abates in order to let a softer passage be heard. With this flexibility comes some nice bass work and fine, clean vocals. There are few solos, Edema preferring to let uneven beats and heavy guitars draw the attention of the listener and crack the mix's stereotype. There is no Progressive touch whatsoever.

Edema makes a solid impression, yet some of their stuff sounds very similar to other bands playing this style. Those elements mentioned previously really make the difference between Edema and those other bands. With its complexity, soft touch and solos, Default is a trip beyond the typical realm of Deathcore. That makes Default worth a listen as Edema has stepped up their songwriting this time around.

Check out the opening track, "Crawling Unreason," to hear the band's versatility. It is the longest song on the album and allows the band plenty of room to explore. Other nice tracks like "My Sweetest Whore," "Default," "Purchasing Your Own Illness" and the closer, "Unequal Disease," showcase Edema's efforts to go beyond Deathcore.

Default is the first products of a young band that have only been around for six years. They have the potential to go on and make their next release even more special than the debut.