MORGAN LANDER Explains Why KITTIE No Longer Fits The 'Nu Metal' Label: 'We’re Not Trying To Recapture The Past'
Summary
- Morgan Lander says the nu metal label no longer fits Kittie’s music, and hasn’t for years.
- Fire, their first album in 13 years, blends early influences with a modern sound, produced by Nick Raskulinecz.
- Band reunion was unplanned; what started as a few shows turned into a full comeback with Sumerian Records.
Kittie frontwoman Morgan Lander says the band has outgrown the nu metal tag. In a new interview with Metalshop TV, the guitarist and vocalist said that calling Kittie a nu metal band no longer fits what they sound like.
“I think the label is not representative of our music anymore,” Lander explained. “It felt like a bit of a bad word for a long time. Nu metal was popular, then it fell off and became a parody of itself.”
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While Lander acknowledged Kittie’s early role in the genre, she made it clear the band moved in a different direction long ago. Their second album, Oracle (2001), already marked a shift away from the sound that made their debut Spit (1999) a standout in the nu metal scene.
“We’re still proud of what we did, and that Spit was influential,” she said. “But we don’t really sound like that anymore.”
Not Part of the Revival
Kittie doesn’t see itself as part of the current wave of nu metal nostalgia. Speaking on The Ex-Man podcast back in May 2024, guitarist Tara McLeod said the genre’s recent revival caught many people off guard.
“It just seems like every time there’s a shift in music, everyone hates it at first,” McLeod said. “Nu metal is simplified, but that doesn’t mean it’s lesser. People are just now realizing how catchy and well-written those songs were.”
Drummer Mercedes Lander added her own perspective. “Go listen to Wes Borland,” referring to the Limp Bizkit guitarist. “That stuff isn’t easy. And John Otto on drums? The GOAT.”
She also noted that musical restraint can show real talent. “Some people confuse busy playing with good music. Just because a song is fast or complicated doesn’t make it good. Less can be more.”
Band Resisted Trends
The group says they never tried to capitalize on the genre’s comeback. In a separate interview with Metal Hammer, Morgan Lander responded to suggestions that their 2024 return was timed to take advantage of nu metal’s renewed popularity.
“We’re not a nu-metal band, and we never will be again,” she said. “We’re not trying to recapture something that’s long gone for us. There might be a riff that nods to our past, but we’re combining that with who we are today.”
She also said the new album, Fire, is the best-sounding record they’ve made. “It has its foot in many worlds,” Lander said. “There was nothing to prove. It’s heavy, more mature, and the songwriting is incredible.”
Mercedes backed her up. “We could’ve phoned it in and done what people expected,” she said. “But we’ve never been that band. We’ve always done our own thing, and we’re going to keep doing that.”
New Album Fire
Kittie’s new album Fire came out in June 2024 through Sumerian Records. The band worked with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Sienna Studios in Nashville. Raskulinecz has worked with well-known bands like Rush, Alice In Chains, Korn, Rise Against, Halestorm, Evanescence, Skid Row, and Deftones.
This marked the band’s first studio album in over 13 years.
How It Started Again
The reunion wasn’t planned, according to Mercedes. “We just wanted to play a couple shows,” she told Loud TV during Hellfest in France. “Then we got offered a record deal by Sumerian. We agreed, wrote the record, and here we are. It wasn’t something we expected.”
Tara added that returning to the studio felt natural. “Playing with Morgan and Mercedes again just clicked,” she said. “I’ve played with a lot of musicians, and it never felt like that. It reminded me who I’m supposed to be playing with.”
Writing Music in the Cloud Era
The band adapted to modern songwriting. Since the members don’t live close to each other anymore, they used Dropbox to swap files and work on songs remotely.
“There was a dumping ground of riffs and ideas,” Tara explained. “Then Morgan and Mercedes would work on them together. When I was in Ontario, I’d jump in. It was nice to be able to dissect the songs more.”
Mercedes said the process allowed more attention to detail. “You hear things in recordings you might miss in a room full of amps,” she said. “It gave us time to really build around those parts.”
Studio Time With Nick Raskulinecz
The recording sessions were different this time. Tara said the band used to just record and leave. This time, Raskulinecz was actively involved. “He was jamming with us. He even stole one of Mercedes’s drumsticks and used it like a conductor’s baton.”
It created a more collaborative atmosphere than in the past. “We actually worked with the producer, and it worked really well,” Tara said.
Band History
Kittie was formed in the late 1990s in London, Ontario. The group gained attention with their 1999 debut, Spit, which featured the breakout single “Brackish.” Their second album, Oracle, signaled a turn toward a heavier, more traditional metal sound.
Bassist Ivana “Ivy” Vujic joined in 2008 and played on the band’s 2009 album In The Black and the 2011 release I’ve Failed You. After that, the band went on hiatus.
During the break, Morgan worked in marketing and Mercedes went into real estate and software. The band released the documentary Origins/Evolutions in 2018, which recapped their history and early impact on metal.
Return to the Stage
The band’s return began with a 2022 live appearance. Kittie played their first show in five years at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia. Before that, their last performance was a one-off reunion gig in 2017 in their hometown of London, Ontario.
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