Kvelertak have announced Ivar Nioklaisen as the newest addition to the band. Nioklaisen replaces Erlend Hjelvik who announced his departure earlier this month, Theprp.com reports.

In a recent statement, the band says of their new frontman: “We are immensely excited to have Ivar on board, and what he will bring to the band. Kvelertak has had a history with Ivar since the bands early days. Both as a tour companion with his other bands (Silver, The Good, the Bad and the Zugly), and as the guest vocalist on ‘Blodtørst.’ Ivar is the frontman we could hope for, and nothing is more natural for us than for him to take over the throne.”

Nioklaisen says of joining the group, “I’ve been a huge fan of Kvelertak ever since I first saw them nearly ten years ago. It’s an honor to be a part of the band! I will not try to copy Erlend. Erlend is a lion. I’m just a small rat. But this rat is pissed off, infectious, and full of pestilence—ready to take this machine to new heights!”

According to Blabbermouth, Hjelvik left the group as lead vocalist earlier this month after saying, “the experience of building a successful band has been fun and rewarding but has also been equally intense and challenging. Over the years, this has taken its toll. As we’ve been developing personally and professionally, our individual goals, needs and motivations have changed, leading us in different directions.”

Kvelertak has previously released three albums including Kvelertak (2010), Meir (2013) and Nattesferd (2016). The group is currently working on their fourth album with Nioklaisen which is expected to be released in 2019.

Nioklaisen made his debut with Kvelertak at the Fjellparkfestivalen in Flekkefjord, Norway. Watch footage from the show below.