Norwegian actor Espen Reboli Bjerke, well known for his extensive work in films, theatre, radio and television, is making a guest appearance on Welcome The Dead, the seventh full-length album from Norwegian black metallers, Crest Of Darkness. Bjerke, who also won a Spelleman Award, the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammies, will perform a spoken part on “Katharsis”, the closing track on the album.

"We really needed someone with a great vocal presence to do the spoken part on one of the tracks, someone who is able to convey the atmosphere", explained Crest Of Darkness founder and frontman Ingar Amlien, "and as far as I was concerned Espen was perfect. I was delighted when he agreed to do it, it's never easy to get actors of his standing to agree to perform on a music album. Of course it did help a bit that he is the brother of our guitarist Rebo!"

Welcome The Dead is set to hit the streets on December 2nd via My Kingdom Music in both CD and digital formats, as well as a double LP format which will feature a special bonus track. It was recorded at the at MLP Studio by Nils H. Mæhlum, and mastered at the Kvålsonic Lab by Tom Kvålsvoll. The album promises to be the heaviest, darkest and most introspective work to emerge from the band's twenty plus year history and the artwork reflects this, using, as it does, the eerie Zombie Foetus sculptures created by the Italian artist Andrea Falaschi.

Aside from Amlien (Roquefire, Conception, Amlien's Inferno) on vocals and bass and Rebo on guitars Crest Of Darkness' lineup includes Bernhard (ex-Pale Forest) on drums, and Kristian Wentzel on keyboards. Earlier this year Amlien admitted that he sees Welcome The Dead as having a special significance for him personally: "I've put a hell of a lot of myself and my emotions into this album, even more so than usual. I've always felt that when we are on stage, we create a sort of magic, and this time we have been able to transfer that magic to the recordings. You could say this is my personal Black Mass".

Tracklisting:

“Welcome The Dead”
“Chosen By The Devil”
“Scourged And Crucified”
“My Black Bride”
“Borrowed Life”
“The Almighty”
“Memento Mori”
“The Noble Art”
“Katharsis”

On Saturday, October 29th Amlien will give a special performance at the Underjordisk Festival in Gjøvik. The festival is closely linked with Halloween, and Amlien will take to the stage at midnight whenhe will perform a solo set called "Drink My Blood", which will include music that is part of a bonus track which will be included on the vinyl edition of Welcome The Dead. Amlien says that the audience should expect a sort of "bloody, horror kind of performance... like a ritual" and knowing the musicians interest in all things vampire and satanic, it's safe to say that it will be very appropriate to the celebration of Halloween.