About - Crest Of Darkness

Go to content

About

SATANIC METAL SINCE 1996!

Ingars' brainchild Crest Of Darkness was conceived in the mid-nineties when his former band Conception was still at its peak. As opposed to Conception, the idea behind C.o.D. was unquestionable a product of Ingars' passion for sheer sonic brutality and devotion to the satanic ideology according to Anton LaVeys' Church Of Satan and the Satanic Bible. The contents of C.o.D.'s lyrics clearly reflect Ingars' beliefs as well as his deep admiration for vampirism.

C.o.D.'s first album, the mini-album «QUENCH MY THIRST» was released in 1996 and kicked off a lasting collaboration with producer/engineer Nils H.Mæhlum at MLP-studio, Norway.

Second album and first full-length, «SINISTER SCENARIO» was released in 1997, both of the above through norwegian label Head Not Found/Voices Of Wonder.


Line-up «QUENCH MY THIRST»
and «SINISTER SCENARIO»
Ingar Amlien: vocals/bass/guitars
Nils H.Mæhlum: drums
Lars Christian Narum: keyboards

The next two albums were released through french label Listenable Records. Being a project in continual progress, C.o.D. diversifies its soundscape on third release, «THE OGRESS» -1999. At this stage, the borderline between black/goth/death shows a different direction for the band. Ingars colleagues from the now defunct Conception, Roy Khan and Arve Heimdal, both make their appearances on this album as well as Kristin Fjellseth contributing female vocals for the albums' main character - The Ogress.


Line-up, «THE OGRESS»
Ingar Amlien: vocals/bass/guitars
Arve Heimdal: drums
Lars Christian Narum: Keyboards
Jan Petter Ringvold: Keyboards
Kristin Fjellseth: vocals

On forth release, «PROJECT REGENERATION», C.o.D. takes a far more aggressive turn than earlier. There are still potent contributions from both Kristin and Jan P. but the album reveals a more primitive, guitar-based in-your-face attitude than on previous releases. «PROJECT REGENERATION» also sets the standard for a turning point in C.o.D.'s development. What was originally a studio-project, starts growing into a vibrant band-unit.

Akke, who plays guitars on «PROJECT REGENERATION», becomes a full-time member of the band. He's a former member of norwegian, infamous punk-rock outfit "Cockroach Clan", as well as british defunct "The Yo-Yo's" (featuring members of The Wildhearts, KMFDM and The Lurkers). Akkes' straight-for-the-throat guitar-work seem to fit perfectly into the C.o.D.-blueprint.


Line-up, «PROJECT REGENERATION»
Ingar Amlien: vocals/bass/guitars
Akke: guitars
Fredløs: drums
Jan Petter Ringvold: keyboards
Kristin Fjellseth: vocals

In 2001, C.o.D. was narrowed down to a three-piece. In addition to Ingar and Akke, drummer Jarle Byberg joined the band and C.o.D. hit the roads for the first time ever. Several gigs in Norway, the very first Inferno Festival and a successful tour in France with No Return and Symbiosis made C.o.D. becomes an awe-inspiring live-act.

After Jarles' departure in 2002, drummer Kjetil Hektoen becomes a full-time member of C.o.D. Kjetil is a young talented drummer who has already showed that he is much more than a newcomer. Beside of playing with C.o.D. Kjetil is also a member of another black/death metal band called Enthral, and for the first time C.o.D. have a drummer who is totaly dedicated to dark and extreme metal In 2004 Crest of Darkness released a new devastating and obscure creature; "Evil KnowsEvil". -An album expressed with talent, originality, passion and intensity as a few ones are able to do nowadays. A unique synergy of aggression and freezing sensations. In a few words the ultimate conception of Extreme Metal able in blending Black Metal, Thrash assaults, great technique, blasting aggression and freezing atmospheres.

The album was recorded & mixed at MLP-Studio with the precious collaboration of the long-date friend Nils H.Mæhlum. The album was mastered at the well-known Outer Sound Studios with Giuseppe Orlando (NOVEMBRE).


Line-up, ”EVIL KNOWS EVIL”
Ingar Amlien: vocals/bass
Akke: guitars
Kjetil Hektoen: drums

After the release of this album Kjell Arne Hubred joined Crest of Darkness as a rythm-guitarist. First for doing live-performances with the band, but now he's also a full-time member of the band. On a musical, professional and personal level, the current line-up appears to be Ingars' ultimate trump-card for the eternal life-span of Crest Of Darkness.


Line-up'2005
Ingar Amlien: vocals, bass
Akke: lead and rhythm guitar
Kjell Arne Hubred: rhythm guitar
Kjetil Hektoen: drums

In the year 2006 Akke is leaving the band because of personal reasons. This was a big loss for Crest of Darkness, but after a lot of searcing the band finally found a new lead-guitarist called Rebo. Allready in the end of 2006 Rebo met his first challenge with the band. In November/December this year the band recorded their new album "Give Us The Power To Do Your Evil". It was recorded in Outer Sound Studios in Rome/Italy with Giuseppe Orlando as produser. With this album Crest of Darkness are delivering a new dark and brutal piece of work. The album was released in the spring 2007, and as last time the label was My Kingdom Music.


Line-up, "GIVE US THE POWER TO DO YOUR EVIL"
Ingar Amlien: vocals, bass
Rebo: lead and rhythm guitar
Kjell Arne Hubred: rhythm guitar
Kjetil Hektoen: drums

The response on this album was amazing, and the album got great revews. The prestigious uk magazine TERRORIZER gave the album 9/10 points, and wrote: " .....In the existence since the mid '90s, this Norwegian ensemble has crafted an excellent black metall album worth repeated listens.Withering speed compliments the vocalist's venom. The guitar solos exhibit an expressive ang highly emotive quality, which oddly works. ......"


Crest of Darkness are continuing to co-operate with My Kingdom Music, and after a long working period in total silence Ingar decides to launch a new chapter in C.o.D’s history and creates a colossal new masterpiece of extreme and powerful Black Metal. The result is “IN THE PRESENCE OF DEATH”, a deliriously dark and magnificent work. The recordings was done at Jam Productions in Oslo with Stian Aarstad (ex-Dimmu Borgir) as engineer. Parts of the album was also recorded at Gjøvik with Rebo as engineer. The well-known Endarker Studio in Sweeden mastered the album. The album was released in February 2013. The album got amazing reviews everywhere, and Norway's finest metal magazine SCREAM voted "IN THE PRESENCE OF DEATH" to the album of the month!

Line-up, "IN THE PRESENCE OF DEATH"
Ingar Amlien: vocals, bass
Rebo: lead, rhythm guitar and keyboards
Kjetil Hektoen: drums

Additional musicians:
Kjell Arne Hubred: rhythm guitar
Stian Aarstad: keyboards

Right after the recordings of "IN THE PRESENCE OF DEATH" Jan Fredrik Solheim joins the band on guitars, replacing Kjell Arne Hubred, and the C.o.D was ready for the future!!

Line-up'2013
Ingar Amlien: vocals, bass
Rebo: lead and rhythm guitar
Jan Fredrik Solheim: rhythm guitar
Kjetil Hektoen: drums

”IN THE PRESENCE OF DEATH” was promoted with a few single conserts and an European tour together with Shining (SE) and Sterbhaus (SE). After this tour C.o.D. was going through new changes in the line-up. Kjetil and Jan Fredrik were leaving the band. Ingar said: “I’ve always followed my vision and I intend to continue doing so. I’ve put C.o.D. through some major changes over the past few years, but there is nothing dramatic behind this. As I’ve often experienced in my career, things just happen in a natural way when the time is right, without being forced to take any drastic decisions. Both myself and my band mates are developing all the time, and as a consequence it is often necessary to make changes in order to keep up with that development, and that is as it should be with any band.”

In September’2014 C.o.D. presented the line-up of today:
Ingar Amlien – vocals, bass
Rebo – lead and rhythm guitar
Bernhard – drums

It is this new line-up that is currently working on an EP to be released on My Kingdom Music at a date as yet to be announced. The band is progressing all the time, and the new material is expected to be the best the band has ever done. Ingar and Rebo have worked together in many years with great success. Bernhard, probably best known from Pale Forest, comes in with a lot of experience from different bands. With other words; It’s still a lot to come from Crest of Darkness!!

Back to content