PASSION. IT can move mountains and change lives; ignite the imagination and turn dreams into reality.

If you have it, all things are possible….

For a 15-year-old student, it was passion, pure an’ simple, that would open up a path more generally pursued by the leather-clad male of the species; a path that would see eight years of classical training giving way to a genre of music every bit as demanding in terms of dedication and belief…

After all, with heavy metal, the genre in question, we’re not talkin’ passing interest, we’re talking lifestyle: a 100 per cent, no-compromise commitment to a form of entertainment that, at its peak (the explosive clash of larger-than-life visuals and powerful, primal sounds), has the force to enliven all of the senses and keep them tingling.

It was this combination that lit the fuse for vocalist, songwriter & no-holds-barred performer Kobra Paige, the spark struck first by Led Zeppelin & Pink Floyd, then by Iron Maiden, then by Judas Priest – specifically a headline show at the 17,000-capacity Saddledome in Calgary, Western Canada…

“It was the first time I’d been to a concert on that scale,” recalls Kobra, “and it was quite overwhelming… the atmosphere, the energy, the noise, the bond between the fans, and then of course the band themselves.

“I loved the twin-guitar set-up, but it was Rob Halford that grabbed my attention the most – he’s such an iconic frontman, and he’s been truly influential in defining what heavy metal has become…”

FOR THE vast majority of those at the Saddledome, the Priest concert was a hugely entertaining night out, a reason to go home and give the likes of ‘Living After Midnight’ a late night blast; for Kobra, however, this was much more – a life-defining moment from which there would be no turning back.

She didn’t just get a kick out of seeing Halford live and in the flesh; she now knew what she wanted to do

The die was cast.

In metal.

So… out with the classical and the operatic, in with the leather and the studs, plus the snake-eyed desire to walk the metal brick road – a bold move, for sure, but that’s what real passion can do…

“You know, I straight away became addicted to the whole culture of the music,” continues Kobra. “I love the fantasy side of things, and if I didn’t keep a close eye on myself I could easily end up wielding a sword and wearing a suit of armour!

“Heavy metal has an escapist quality, which is something the fans love. It’s larger-than-life, bombastic and full of great imagery, and I’m very comfortable with that tradition. It suits my personality and the way I see the world…”

Of course, it’s one thing to want to grab said world by its appendages, and quite another to actually do it; and as always in life, there is no express lift to heaven, you’ve gotta climb the stairs…

And so Kobra set to work, scouring the scene for musicians of equal ambition and intent, the break-through arriving when she responded to an advert in a local paper.

The ad wasn’t seeking a singer, that would have been too easy, it was actually seeking a drummer, but it did carry the right tone and reference points. Working on the principle of nothing ventured, nothing gained, she went along anyway, determined to challenge whoever happened to be the singer… which, in the event, turned out to be the guitarist, doubling up on vox.

The lead mic and the spotlight were both there to be grabbed, and Kobra didn’t need to be asked twice.

As is normal in such circumstances, it was cover versions, the likes of ‘Aces High’ by Iron Maiden, that allowed the fledgling line-up to sharpen its teeth, but before long – on the first day of rehearsals, in fact – original material had started to take shape, and Kobra (able to turn her hand to both piano & guitar, and expect to see her wielding the latter onstage at some point in the future) was finally on a path that made sense; finding her true voice, working with players committed to The Cause and choosing a band name that had more to support it than a dictionary and a pin….

“You know, the original name was just ‘Lotus’, because it has a mystical feel, and I like the symbolism that it conjures up, with the lotus being a flower that grows in muddy water then rises above the surface to bloom… that really ties in with the lyrics I write, which are generally to do with hope rising out of dark places…

“Some of the songs do have more specific meanings – for example, ‘Heaven’s Veins’ is about addiction, ‘Calm Before the Storm’ is about children born into troubled situations, ‘pearls in the ashes’, you know, and ‘50 Shades Of Evil’ is about greed, about the constant desire for more… but, by and large, the theme is one of hope, of the purity of heart and mind, as represented by the lotus...

“Later, we extended the name to ‘Kobra And The Lotus’ because I also like the idea of a fearless and powerful creature, and now I’m happy with the balance.

“We’re Kobra And The Lotus, and it feels right!”

COLOURS DULY hoisted and battle-plan unfurled, the band’s new self-titled album is scheduled for international release this summer, with Simmons Records / Universal the parent label. As a seeker of new talent and a builder of strong brands, the achievements of Gene Simmons are impressive indeed, and his behind-the-scenes support has helped to make ‘Kobra And The Lotus’ (the album) as much a statement of intent as a collection of songs…

As for said songs, and 10 have been given the final nod, all were written within the past 12 months, starting with the likes of ‘Nayana (My Eyes)’ and ‘Calm Before The Storm’, leading on to ‘50 Shades Of Evil’, ‘Heaven’s Veins’ and more, and it’s one of the most recent tracks – ‘Forever One’, the newest composition, in fact – that will lead the charge as first single / video…

“Yeah, that one is all about the fans,” explains Kobra, “the idea of everyone being together because of shared views and values. Heavy metal is much more than just the sounds, it’s a way of living, a take on the world, and I’m as big a lover of what it stands for as anyone!

“You know, I do have broad musical tastes – I enjoy all types of music... I like blues guitar, Gary Moore’s playing especially, and I’ll check out more obviously commercial stuff too, but more to examine how a particular song is crafted and shaped, to add to my knowledge.

“By choice, though, I’m a heavy metal fan, and I’m really proud of the album we’ve just finished.

“It’s rooted in the great history of the music, but it’s for a new generation too, and it’s delivered 100 per cent from the heart…”

Produced by Canadian Kevin Churko, whose previous credits include both Ozzy Osbourne & Five Finger Death Punch, and who was recommended to Kobra by Ozzy guitarist Gus G., the album – precisely delivered songs, heavy with emotion – has an intentionally grand-scale dynamic, revelling in the glories of the genre and making its mark as arena rather than garage rock.

If the intention was to produce a body of work that spectacularly sums up just where pure heavy metal is in 2012, then that box can now be ticked… and if there’s a pyramid that needs building, or a large stone or two to be dragged across the desert, then this would be an ideal soundtrack – music conceived with a love for tradition, yet a keen eye on the future, topped off by a vocal performance that instantly aligns the 23-year-old songstress with some exalted company indeed…

Ronnie James Dio, Queensryche’s Geoff Tate, Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, the aforementioned Rob Halford, just some of the artists who have defined what it means to front a heavy metal band, and it is such icons of the genre who have set the standard for others to follow, male and female alike.

Kobra is aware of the challenge…

“If I focussed on that side things, it could be quite daunting, I guess,” she concludes, “but all I can really do is be myself.

“When I first started out, after responding to that classified ad, I was still trying to find my true voice as a singer, to settle on a style that was completely natural. It took some time, and a fair bit of touring to get there, but now I have my voice, and I’m giving it full rein!”

SPEAKING OF touring, Kobra And The Lotus stand on the brink of an international schedule that will see the five making major festival appearances in eight different countries, starting in Spain and running through Germany, Austria, Sweden, France, Belgium & Italy; in addition, the band will be guesting with rock legends Judas Priest & Saxon at the Hammersmith Apollo in London on May 26th, setting up an album that carries a message in the lyrics and a coiled strike in the music.

In short, heavy metal has a New Face. A New Voice. A New Name.

Kobra And The Lotus.

(And yes, it does feel right)