To say that Black Metal in the UK is thriving is an understatement. Even when compared to the 90's heyday of the second wave, when there were plenty of bands in the UK putting out fantastic and dark music, it quite possible to say that the scene at the moment is the strongest it has ever been, giving us some genuinely brilliant bands like EASTERN FRONT, WINTERFYLLETH and WODENSTHRONE, to name but a few. And perhaps one of the best areas in this scene is, appropriately, the North. The cold, frosty and fog-shrouded landscape that characterises areas like Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, coupled with the rugged landscape, is a perfect breeding ground for this kind of music. And it is from Wakefield, Yorkshire, that the abominable GOATCHRIST have lurched, quickly putting out two demos in quick succession, the latest being "Legion".

This demo is kicked off with an ambient, atmospheric track, "The Undoing of Solomon's Blasphemies", which aurally paints a scene of darkness and dread that preludes what is to come from this record. Then comes the first full track, "Crushing Your Essence Under Fire and Brimstone", a track so raw and powerful that it cuts through you like a razor. The vocals rasp harshly over the top of the whole cacophony, pained and visceral on the level of bands like LEVIATHAN and XASTHUR. This track is counter pointed by another ambient track, "Without Circumference nor Diameter" which acts as a buffer before the next assault on your ear canal which "She Who Holds the Scrying Mirror" brings. Although it isn't as full on and abrasive as the second track, it still has the anguished atmosphere that "Crushing Your Essence Under Fire and Brimstone" has. The song that ends this record, a cover of XASTHUR's "Walker of Dissonant Worlds", which is done really well and is a fitting way to finish this demo off.

This is a very solid release from a band that seems to have a lot of ideas. They have a lot of potential to become the figureheads of the more extreme end of the UKBM scene. Definitely catch them when they play live at the Fenton in Leeds on February 20th, because music like this will be really great to watch live.