KITTIE’s Comeback Wasn’t Planned, Says MERCEDES LANDER: 'We Just Wanted To Play A Couple Shows'
What started as a few gigs became a full studio album and global tour for the Canadian metal act.
Summary
- KITTIE’s return started with a few gigs, but a record deal led to Fire, their first album in over 13 years.
- Mercedes and Tara describe remote songwriting using Dropbox and recording with producer Nick Raskulinecz.
- The band says they didn’t plan a comeback, but Fire brought new energy to the classic KITTIE lineup.
Canadian metal band KITTIE is back with a new album, but the comeback wasn’t part of a grand plan. In a recent interview with Loud TV (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH), drummer Mercedes Lander explained how the return came together almost by accident.
“We just wanted to play a couple shows,” Lander said. “We got offered a few, and the idea was to do those and then go back into our coffins.”
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Instead, things took a different turn. After the shows, Sumerian Records reached out with an offer for the band to record a new album. They agreed. That album, titled “Fire,” came out in June 2024.
“It wasn’t something we had planned,” Lander added. “But we’re happy to be here.”
Playing Together Again Felt Natural
Guitarist Tara McLeod also spoke about the experience of reuniting with the band after years apart. She said it felt natural, like something that had been missing.
“When we got into the studio, it was like, ‘Oh yeah, these are the people I’m supposed to be playing with,’” she said. “It never felt like that with anyone else.”
Long-Distance Writing Process
The band members no longer live near each other. That made the writing process different this time around. Instead of working in the same room, they used Dropbox to share files and ideas.
“We had this dumping ground of riffs and songs,” McLeod explained. “Then whenever I could, I’d travel to Ontario to join the others.”
Mercedes added that the remote method allowed them to pay more attention to the details. “Those subtle nuances you might miss in the room, you catch in the recordings,” she said.
New Approach in the Studio
For the new record, KITTIE worked with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Sienna Studios in Nashville. He’s known for working with bands like Korn, Deftones, and Alice in Chains.
This time, the producer played a more active role.
“He was in there jamming with us,” McLeod said. “At one point, he stole one of Mercedes’s drumsticks and was conducting with it.”
That level of involvement was a big change for the band, who were used to more hands-off producers.
KITTIE’s First Album in Over a Decade
“Fire” is KITTIE’s first studio album in more than 13 years. Their last full-length release was “I’ve Failed You” in 2011. That record sold 3,000 copies in its first week and landed at No. 178 on the Billboard 200.
After touring that album, the band took a break. During the hiatus, Morgan Lander worked in marketing, while Mercedes moved into real estate and later software.
The band eventually reunited for a 2017 one-off show in their hometown of London, Ontario. They also performed at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in 2022.
The response to their recent return has been positive, and the band is back on the road promoting their new release. Despite the unexpected nature of their reunion, they’re embracing this new chapter.
“We really outdid ourselves with Fire,” Mercedes said.
About Kittie
Kittie is a metal band from London, Ontario, Canada, formed in 1996 by sisters Morgan and Mercedes Lander.
The group gained attention in the early 2000s with their debut album, “Spit,” which featured the single “Brackish.” Their sound blends elements of nu metal, death metal, and alternative metal, with lyrics often exploring themes of anger, identity, and resilience.
The band went through multiple lineup changes but always revolved around the Lander sisters.
Albums like “Oracle” (2001), “Until the End” (2004), and “In the Black” (2009) helped solidify their place in the heavy music scene, especially as one of the few all-female bands in a male-dominated genre.
After releasing “I’ve Failed You” in 2011, the band went on a long break, during which members pursued other careers and creative projects.
In 2017, Kittie reunited for a special concert celebrating the release of their documentary, “Kittie: Origins/Evolutions.”
The group returned to the stage again in 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival, marking their first live appearance in five years.
Their latest album, “Fire,” released in June 2024 via Sumerian Records, is their first full-length studio project in over a decade.
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