I’ve been a fan of Kobra and the Lotus for quite a few years so their latest album “Evolution” was always going to be ‘must-have’ when it was released by Napalm Records on 20th September. I pre-ordered the vinyl picture disc and also bought the CD. The three singles from the new album had been sent to us by Napalm Records and these have featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show over the past few weeks.


 

Kobra and the Lotus was formed by vocalist Kobra Paige in Canada in 2009. Their debut album “Out of the Pit” was released in 2010, but it was the self-titled second album released in 2012 that was the band’s first big break. It was released in the UK and Europe by Spinefarm Records and elsewhere by other Universal Music Group labels. It was during the band’s subsequent UK tour with Buckcherry that I first discovered the band and an interview with Kobra Paige was posted in January 2013 - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/1147-ni-rocks-interview-with-kobra-and-the-lotus.html

 

The third album “High Priestess” was released in 2014, followed by an EP called “Words of the Prophets” in 2015 that featured covers of five tracks by Canadian bands. The band then signed with Napalm Records following a successful Pledgemusic campaign for a double album. This was released as “Prevail I” in May 2017 and “Prevail II” April 2018. I recorded an interview with Kobra in August 2017 ahead of their first Belfast gig that November – http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/3178-ni-rocks-interview-with-kobra-paige-from-kobra-and-the-lotus.html

 

There were quite a few line-up changes during the early years of the band and there were a number of ‘touring’ members, but it has now stabilised. The guitarists are Jasio Kulakowski who has been with the band since 2012 and newest member Ronny Gutierrez. The bass player since 2014 has been Brad Kennedy and drummer Marcus Lee joined in 2016 (having previously played for Hessler and Romantic Rebel).


“Evolution” features 11 tracks, including a minute long intro. The first track released was “Burn!” (included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 16th August), followed by “Get the Fuck Out of Here” (on the Show on 30th Aug) and then “Thundersmith” (on the Show on 20th Sept).

 

Check out the band’s website - https://kobraandthelotus.com/

 


About “NI Rocks Recommends”

This is purely a personal recommendation and some information about the artist and the album; not a traditional ‘review’. Most of the recommendations posted are for albums that have been sent to us digitally by the record label or promoter. Quite often I’ve also bought the album on CD or vinyl as well and sometimes I just feel the need to post a recommendation for an album that I’ve bought myself. Essentially these are albums that I like and which I’ve played some tracks from on the Shows on Rock Radio NI!