Kittie Celebrates 25 Years of ‘Spit’ With Powerful Anniversary Revival (Review)

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Kittie has released a four-track EP which reboots tracks from their debut album, ‘Spit‘. The Canadian group burst onto the scene in 1999 when the four original members were still in high school. They take influence from heavy metal, nu-metal, and hardcore groups. Their new EP titled ‘Spit XXV‘ sees the current line-up re-record four of the most iconic tracks from their debut with a new sense of energy and celebration for the songs. These include the title track and ‘Do You Think I’m a W***e? XXV‘.

In 2024, the four-piece released ‘Fire‘, the first new release in thirteen years from the group. They have since continued the momentum, playing festival dates such as this year’s Download Festival as well as Hellfest.

A New (And Old) Effort

Overall, I like the new EP. The maturity in their musicianship and advancements in production since the original record are evident. The vocals are polished, and Morgan Lander has clearly maintained her voice, as she is now able to sing harder yet more fluidly than on the original record. The original album saw Fallon Bowman on guitar. Since 2005, Tara McLeod has taken over this role. Even though she wasn’t on the original recording, she masters this new EP. Her longtime connection to the band is evident in how confidently she can make these songs her own. I specifically thought she shone in ‘Charlotte XXV‘, a track that at times strips the sound back in comparison to its counterparts. 

I was most excited to see that ‘Brackish‘ had been re-recorded, as this is my favourite Kittie track. However, there are elements that I think sounded much better in a lower quality and less professional setting than the original recording. I definitely prefer the original backing vocals, provided by Mercedes Lander. Whilst they aren’t as hard-hitting, they play well to the overall vibe of the track. I must commend Ivy Jenkins for the consistently powerful bass, which feels especially dominant in both this track and ‘Do You Think I’m a W***e? XXV‘.

There’s something immensely impressive in the way that all four songs still feel relevant within music today. The band draws inspiration from topical music genres of the time, yet this re-recorded effort doesn’t feel like a look back in time. Each track slips into playlists of current releases with ease without feeling dated. The producer is Garth Richardson, who also produced the original LP. This behind-the-scenes connection definitely helped curate the perfect sound to both honour the past and provide a new feel for the future.

Rating: 7/10

Kittie is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. You can stream their new EP ‘Spit XXV‘ below or buy it, and read more reviews here.

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