Anthropile -- Take -- Independent Artist -- Bellingham Washington, USA

1. My Shiny Toys
2. The Civilized Man
3. But They Do
4. Clench Down
5. Mesopotamia
6. Ambulatory Meat Plants
7. Zero-Conscience Parasites
8. PaM
9. Distributor
10. Rabbit Cage
11. Monkeys
12. Angels and Machines
Total run time: 61:16

    When I first gave "Take" a listen to, I admit I was a little put off by the high speed tempo of the first few tracks, the abrasive sounds, and harsh qualities that reminded me of some works by bands like Ministry and Puppy etc.., somewhat metal edge-ish rock-core kind of thing in places, those unrelenting guitar sounds, the militant chugging of the drums, the untreated vocals of a man really needing to get his point across. But then, I played the CD again. Then again, and again. Then I realized that there was much much more to this release than that.
    The first three tracks are indeed a bit harsh with sounds earlier described yes, but the issues that Bryan Tewell Hughes reveals are equally harsh -- politics, government, christian america, jesus christ and the morality of such things. The next few tracks just get better, and range from EBM/industrial core to experimental electronic.
    Track four "Clench Down" is also a track with fast beats, samples about US Military Forces (nasty, selfish, you're a meany!) intervening and calling for surrender. Not only are the samples great, but the music is complex, tight and catchy. Track five "Mesopotamia" takes on a progressively darker mood than the first four tracks, choppy synth-drums of a more militant beat, female samples: "It was as if the whole world was holding its breath..." along with other samples discussing global economy issues, defense, Persian Gulf War (George Bush, "to protect oil...") over a melodic background and lots of programming. "Now is not the time to go wobbly, George."
     Track six, "Ambulatory Meat Plants" just cracked me up with laughter. Everyone who comes into my home now, I *have* to play this song for them, it's so damn cool ! This song is a story about a man who is sitting on his "weathered red love seat greedily devouring my 99 cent (Burger King) Whopper ™ sandwich" and slides into a memory about a dream he had. He dreamt he was in a clearing with other "several varieties of domesticated farm animals and milling about lazily with his four legged companions", when a dark figure appears to them, looming at the edge of the clearing -- slaughter time! "There he was, (boomboomboom), HOLY SHIT! (boomboomboom) What the hell? This has gotta be it. This is not cool...I was a piece of veal. This towering figure, am I his next meal? Look out cows, it's time to blow!"
     Next is a very intense description of the movement of the animals in a "terrified frenzy", trying to escape the treacherous fate of said farm animals, ie. (becoming food for humans....). Then he goes on... he wakes up from the nightmare in a sweat, 4.30 in the morning, has a cig, finds he's hungry, goes to the refrigerator, finds yet *another* 99 cent Whopper ™ sandwich he scored in the drive through -- sees it laying in a heap. The chorus breaks in again, "Look out you cows, look out you cows, 99 cent whopper, it's so damn cheap." My description here doesn't do this track justice, but I will say, it is one of the best songs I think I have ever heard in terms of slamming a large american fast food chain / corporation. I played this track for numerous friends and they laughed. My 12 year old daughter laughed, but only after the 3rd time she heard it and really listened to the story that unfolds. We'll never really feel the same when we drive past a Burger King again!
    The last track, "Angels and Machines" (4:53), is also incredibly tasty -- dark, aggressive, instrumental electro-core.
    All tracks on this release are excellent in terms of music, lyrics, samples, originality/diversity, programming, sequencing, loops etc. The entire release wreaks of success. It is very creative with lyrics and samples in terms of social issues: population growth, radical and conservative thought, war, the environment and diminishing habitat, the military industrial complex, religion, freedom, truthism etc. The music is *fabulous* -- it is unique, has great production, excuted to perfection, intense, danceable, diverse and it just kicks ass. I have 'never' heard anything like this before, and now, I enjoy hearing "Take" on a very regular basis. I *highly* recommend you to contact AnthroPile and order a copy now. I don't think you will regret it. "Take" belongs in your CD collection. Hats off to Bryan Tewell Hughes for such a great release.

    Bryan Tewell Hughs is based in the United States, Bellingham, Washington. Thanks for sending this release!