Heavy metal has traditionally been dominated by men with a few female figures sprinkled around. Women like Doro Pesch (Warlock) or the band Girlschool certainly paved the way for so many to follow years later, but one particular band is sometimes forgotten in their influence. Kittie was an anomaly at the time; their debut album Spit (2000) came out of nowhere and shot to fame rather quickly. With a hit song on MTV, “Brackish,” and a prime spot on Ozzfest, they took the metal world by storm.
Their road to success and the longevity of their career was a constant battle. With every triumph, there was defeat, yet sisters Morgan and Mercedes Lander did what they could to keep the band alive. In 2018, the documentary Kittie: Origins/Evolutions would be released, and the band, with past and present members, would tell their story, which is now being re-issued in a 2-disc set with a Blu-ray and DVD from Lightyear Entertainment.
Kittie: Origins/Evolutions chronicles the group from their origins when founding members Mercedes Lander (drums) and Fallon Bowman (guitar), who met in gymnastics class, began to jam together before they were even teenagers in 1996. Shortly after, Mercedes’ older sister, Morgan, would join as vocalist/guitarist, and Tanya Chandler on bass. The documentary explores their rise to fame with archival footage and interviews, as well as new interviews with friends, producers, and former members of the band.
The line-up changed quite a bit over the years, with the Lander sisters being the only constant. Most everyone who played in the band appears to discuss their time in the band and why they left. With all the success, just as much tragedy befalls the band, and they continued to push forward despite it.
It was great to see everyone— the Lander sisters, Fallon Bowman, Tanya Candler, Jeff Phillips, Jennifer Arroyo, and Trish Doan— discuss the fame, life on the road, recording, and how it affected them personally. The only two missing were Talena Atfield and Lisa Marx. The documentary was crafted to celebrate their 20th anniversary, even though they hadn’t released an album since 2011.
In 2017, the band staged a celebratory concert that would not only feature the current line-up (at that time) but would bring back past members to perform songs from their respective eras. It happened before the release of Kittie: Origins/Evolutions in March 2018. The band would also face another tragedy with the loss of their bass player, Trish Doan. It almost marked the end of the band for good.
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Kittie: Origins/Evolutions is a wonderful testament to their longevity and influence in the genre. It goes to show that the road to their success wasn’t easy, but they pushed forward to become icons. After the documentary, it would take years before the band would reform and begin playing live shows again in 2022.
In 2024, Kittie released their first album in thirteen years, titled Fire, on Sumerian Records. The title is quite fitting since there’s still a fire that burns within them and their music. With the documentary and new album, Kittie’s legacy is far from over; they’re just moving to the next level.
