The Cobra Killer duo of Gina V. D'Orio and Annika Trost formed in Berlin, Germany in 1998 as part of Alec Empire's Digital hardcore movement. Both were part of other bands signed to Empire's Digital Hardcore label -- Gina was in EC8OR, and Annika was in Shizuo. Cobra Killer was arguably one of the most playful DHR bands, in contrast to the revolutionary bombast of most. When Empire's label cut back on its bands, many of the DHR groups folded, but V'Orio and Trost kept going.