Cobra The Impaler – Tour Talk!

Interview with Steve Harrison

With the release of their second album ‘Karma Collision’ in 2024, Cobra The Impaler had firmly established themselves as a band at the forefront of crushing tech-tinged riffs and crafted heavy progressive metal.

With a series of major festival appearances already accomplished, with the likes of Hellfest, Brutal Assault, Dynamo Metalfest, Alcatraz, Bloodstock, Metaldays and more; a UK tour supporting the mighty Katatonia in 2024, we wouldn’t have to wait too long before they returned on their recent co-headline tour with Hippotraktor. This was a real pairing of Belgian heavyweights in todays metal scene billed as the Serpent & Colossus tour.

We managed to catch up with Tace DC and James Falck on the tour bus at the start of the UK run of their European tour.

On the fact that it’s been nearly a year since the release of ‘Karma Collision’ and the time spent writing and recording it beforehand, ‘It still feels like a new album to me’ says James ‘We’re really proud of it and we’re really happy that people are reacting really well to it. And clearly, you know, it's enabling us to do all this amazing stuff. Yeah? And it’s been such a crazy year.’ Tace adds ‘ Yeah there’s been so many great shows….we need to go as much as possible and get your music out there, show it to the world’

Cobra The Impaler don’t show any says of ‘taking the foot off the gas’, with future dates and even having ides ready for new material in the future. I asked whether they are band that develops musical ideas on the road.

‘ Well there's ideas and stuff, but it's like, rough sketches.’ Tace tells us ‘There's nothing solid yet, because we're still in the midst of promoting this album and it takes this kind of music, takes a while to do it, to do it properly. So it's, it is time consuming.’

James adds ‘ I don't think we're the kind of band that really writes on the road. Really. I think it's more of a thing that happens. ‘ I joke and ask if they are a band that has about 75 other tracks just waiting for them’ They both laugh and Tace adds ‘maybe 5’.

Tace goes on ‘It's like making good wine, you know, it takes some time to judge if it's actually really good idea or, like, an okay riff, so it's good, we're not a spontaneous bands. So it takes time to put a lot of thought in it.’

Using the wine analogy, the band are already a fine bunch of grapes, ‘An old gray grape’ laughs Tace.

Having just completed a leg of he tour in Europe, titled the Great Belgian Trend Kill, I asked about the obvious Pantera reference and how come that was the name of that particular tour.

‘Yeah, we're all huge Pantera fans’ Tace told me ‘and it's like, maybe a bit tongue in cheek. It's with, it's the concept behind it is, like, we want to join with other Belgian bands and promote ourselves, yeah? And there's some appeal to it to foreign countries, like abroad, because it's like, it's a nice concept, a great Belgian trend killer kind of triggers people, I think, yeah. So yeah, it's nice being on the road with friends. That's absolutely great.’

James adds further ‘And I think the package, you know, three bands, because we did, was obviously with Hippotraktor and then Bark, yeah, there was a lot of variety in terms of musical styles, and us and Hippotraktor become quite close together, but still quite different into that concept, yeah. And then Bark, well it’ just like balls to the wall,’ laughing James adds ‘like, literally, the most metal guys make us look pathetic.’

Asking if they had chance to see the recent ‘legacy’ tour Pantera had just completed, Tace comments ‘actually, I think it was more or less the same dates as we were on the road. So we had a lot of shows. And for me, there's no Pantera without Dimebag and Vinnie Paul, it's, I think it's great what they're doing. It's like sharing their legacy with the world, yes, and I love Zakk Wild. I've seen him a few times, also with Ozzy back in the great, absolutely great, great player. But it's not Dimebag!’

‘I think it's great what they're doing, because they introduce their music to younger people and new kids, which is absolutely great, yeah, but  I've seen Pantera back in the days, so I'm gonna stick to that memory.’

 ‘I think it is cool that they’re bringing along bands like Powertrip’ added James.’ for younger generations is important to have them along. You know,  obviously it's huge now metal is, you know, going into the mainstream with bands like Sleep Token, which I think is, is amazing, yeah. However, I do think that it's important for those, you know, real, real metal bands, yeah, so to speak, to still be present.’

A definite sentiment that is echoed through out the heavy metal  fraternity.

As a European band I asked their thoughts whether Europe seems to hold ‘dear to their heart’ the love for more traditional metal, particularly looking at festival line ups.

James replies ‘In Belgium as well with Grasspop, yeah, obviously, there's quite a few mainstream acts on there, but I do feel like, compared to the UK, does tend to be a bit more focused on actual, metal.’

Tace goes on to tell us ‘I think in Europe these days, people are more open minded, like back in the day, yes, everything was in the subgenre, in their niche, like, stuck in it!!. And I kind of feel that it's in the UK more or less, they have those subgenre festivals, which we don't really have in no Belgium.’

On future gigs coming up for Cobra The Impaler James tells us ‘W have some more dates coming up in Belgium, with Katatonia again, which will be fun. That's gonna be happening in May, on my birthday, actually. It's gonna be a hell of a party, maybe. Oh yeah, very boring. And then I think we've got a few festivals here, and there are doing mystic festival in Poland, which would be amazing. I think it's the same day as Cradle Of Filth and Opeth. That's always nice. Yeah, always great bands. And then I think we're doing Motocultor Festival in France as well with Machine Head. And then a few festivals in Belgium as well.’

‘And then Netherlands ‘Into The Grave’ a fantastic festival. I'd also want to recommend if you have a chance. It's organized by a good friend of ours. Shout out to Paul, big supporter of Cobra since day one. Yeah, just the whole bunch of great people as well. And then we'll see. You know, for the fall, there are stuff in the works, but nothing completely set in stone, secrecy is key!’ they both laugh

‘Your’e never leaving the bus’ laughs Tace.

For more details on Cora The Impaler check them out here.

Cobra The Impaler