Formed in 2009 by Canadian singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and classically trained singer Brittany "Kobra" Paige, Calgary-based heavy metal outfit Kobra and the Lotus specialize in traditional, hard-hitting, New Wave of British Heavy Metal-influenced hard rock. After releasing their first album, Out of the Pit, independently, the band caught the attention of Kiss' Gene Simmons, who helped get them a deal with Universal. The band's eponymous major-label debut arrived in 2012, followed by a long bout of touring that saw them sharing the stage with Judas Priest and Slash. The group's third studio album, High Priestess, dropped in 2014, followed by a North American tour in support of Kiss and Def Leppard. ~ James Christopher Monger