Kobra And The Lotus

Kobra And The Lotus

Kobra And The Lotus is a heavy metal band from Calgary, Canada, active since 2009. The group is led by vocalist and songwriter Kobra Paige, and it is also known by the abbreviation KATL. Its line-up over time includes Ben Freud, Matt Van Wezel, Chris Swenson, Griffin Kissack, Timothy Vega, Pete Z. Dimov, Charlie Parra del Riego, Jasio Kulakowski, Brad Kennedy, Ronny Gutierrez and Marcus Lee, alongside Paige.

Early releases and line-up changes

The band records its debut album, Out of the Pit, in Calgary in early 2009. During mixing at Metalworks Studios in Toronto, producer Greg Godovitz brings Rik Emmett in to play a guitar solo on a cover of Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades”. After the band’s first Canadian tour in 2009, Paige’s vocals change enough that the album is rerecorded and remixed, first with Kevin Shirley and then with producer Nick Blagona, who rerecords the vocals and remixes “Legend”. Out of the Pit is independently released in 2010.

Self-titled album and international release

The band records its self-titled second album, Kobra and the Lotus, with producer Julius Butty in 2011, then adds new material in early 2012 after Universal Canada asks for an anthem-like direction. Kevin Churko works on the new tracks and on remixing and remastering the album. The songs “50 Shades of Evil” and “Forever One” are among the new additions. The album is released in the UK and Europe by Spinefarm Records in 2012, then in the USA and Canada in 2013 through Universal Music Enterprises and T-Boy Records.

High Priestess and touring

High Priestess is recorded at Groovemaster Recording Studios in Chicago with producer Johnny K, who is also a Grammy Award-nominated producer, engineer, mixer, musician and songwriter. Charlie Parra del Riego appears as a guest guitarist on the recording. The album is released in 2014. That year the band tours North America with KISS and Def Leppard. A separate recording from the same session, “Zombie”, is later issued as a single featuring Parra del Riego, with “Remember Me” as the B-side.

Words of the Prophets and guest work

After an extensive tour schedule, Paige takes a break from touring to recover her health, then reunites the band with Johnny K for the covers EP Words of the Prophets. The release comes out in 2015 and focuses on heavier versions of songs by Alannah Myles, Triumph, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and April Wine. The band tours the EP in Europe with Kamelot and Gus G. Paige also appears as a guest singer with Kamelot on their Haven tour in North America and parts of Europe.

Prevail and chart success

The band records a double album in Denmark with Jacob Hansen after a successful pledge campaign. Prevail I and Prevail II are issued separately, with the first part released in 2017 and the second in 2018. “TriggerPulse”, the first single from Prevail I, appears ahead of a European tour with Delain and Evergrey and becomes the band’s first song to pass 2 million plays on Spotify. “Gotham” follows, then “You Don’t Know”, released through Napalm Records. “Light Me Up” reaches number 38 on the US Active Rock chart in December 2017. Prevail II is nominated for Juno Award for Metal/Hard Album of the Year in 2019.

Evolution

The band records its sixth full-length album, Evolution, with producer Michael Baskette, and it is released in 2019.

Current line-up

The current line-up consists of Kobra Paige on vocals and piano, Jasio Kulakowski on guitars, Brad Kennedy on bass and Marcus Lee on drums.