Sonia Anubis is a guitarist and bassist from the Netherlands and founding member of the band was put together during 2019 after she left Burning Witches and Death Metal band Crypta with Sebastian “Spyder” Silva (Silver Talon and Idle Hands) . Their influences are from the Hard Rock /metal bands of the 80’s. COBRA SPELL || Official Shop Sonia Anubis || Official Site

The current members are: Singer Alex Panza ( Hitten, Jack Starr’s Burning Starr), Esmée van Sinderen (Rhythm Guitar), Angelina Vehera (Bass) and Léonard Cakolli (Drums).

The band is currently doing shows over Europe including music cruises.  Sonia took time to talk about the band.

IMM: The band’s sound and looks of the 80’s is to keep relevant for the current generation and going forward?

Sonia: It’s our goal to bring it back. And with Sebsatian we decided to started to form Cobra Spell as a fun side project and didn’t take it serious at the beginning and wanted to play something in which we could play something in the style of 80’s hard rock, sleazy style rock heavy metal inspired by the 80’s  U.S. metal bands such as Ratt, Dokken and those  kind of bands. And decided he would do the lyrics and I will do the compositions and this is how we working into it and we gathered a bunch of musicians together and this how we found our vocalist Alex, Angelina our bass player. At first we recorded our first EP “Love Venom” during the pandemic so we didn’t do it in a studio we did it low budget and we saw the EP received very, very well. It was very

surprising and that the vinyl’s and everything sold out very soon and very impressive and I started to take Cobra Spell more serious from the point on. And here we are after the second EP release “Anthems Of The Night” and is going very, very well.

IMM: How did you pick the name Cobra Spell?

Sonia: It was very spontaneous and no really thought behind it and we wanted a cool name. We were coming up with some crazy names Sebastian and I. Like Voodoo links and Cobra Spell fell into the conversation and different variations and cobra is a cool animal so why not (Laughter).

IMM: The band has been together now for 3 years and release the EP on vinyl, CD and cassettes that the labels are releasing for new releases in limited amounts. And which not many stores stock the players but there are people who have for nostalgia.

Sonia: Is very cool and there are people who still use cassettes I think is awesome! There is a special thing about owning vinyl and cassette has a special place like that.

IMM: I agree with you but there are those who said vinyl will be dead and the major U.S. record labels wanted vinyl dead and it will never be extinct.

Sonia: Yeah, they can break but you learn to appreciate them more and be careful with them in my opinion  We sold out our first two versions of current EP “Anthems Of The Night” special editions sold out and the black and white versions we have are almost selling out and shows people still buying it these days.

IMM: Are these released on your own label?

Sonia: We don’t have a label and is self released as we are a independent band though you can say Cobra Spell records as our distribution name as they are being shipped from my home (Laughter)

IMM: So the band has two EP’s and plans to release a full album?

Sonia: Yes, we have two EP’s with four songs on each and we want to release a full album and we have enough material though we are financing we everything ourselves and with this EP we had crowd funding to help for a cool production for this EP and we are very limited with a certain budget we have and we want to deliver quality over quantity.

To go to a studio for a whole month is very expensive for us here at the Netherlands so for us to make it work is to pick the four best songs that we have so far or we feel are the best while we still have good songs and fit well together and release an EP produce the hell out of them the way we want too with a good budget and awesome music videos that we’re proud of and easily represent us and identify Cobra Spell. With our previous EP we weren’t able to do videos or photographs during the pandemic so it was to get material for our stuff and just had the songs released and that was it.

With “Anthems Of The Night” we were able to have band pictures, videos and fun band stuff we were able to do. I am happy out it turned out with the budget we have to be able to create this and a portfolio for labels to see how much we can reach with four songs. I think we did a pretty good job and

will see what happens if a label is interested and want to work with us and work together for a full length album  

IMM: What are some songs are about or a theme?

Sonia: Well, let’s start with “Addicted To The Night” that speaks about addiction in third person about a guy who is addicted about going out at night to strip clubs and getting drugs and parting. A routine he does every single night and realizing all the fun is over during the morning after. This adrenaline and parting runs out is what the song is about. The escalation runs out after the morning after and that he needs more to feel that parting and these songs was written by Angelina and I that is out 80’s style and relates to and doesn’t have to be positive. And the second song “Midnight Hour” speaks about a guy going out night flirting with a girl and going to a hotel room and getting laid (Laughter).  The third song “Love Spell” is a love power song and is about a long distance relationship. The fourth song “Accelerate” is inspired by Judas Priest about driving fast.

IMM: Well ending on that thanks for your time and I enjoy the band’s music as others will especially when they you perform.

Sonia: Thanks for the conversation.

COBRA SPELL – The Midnight Hour (Official Video) – YouTube