Kittie formed when Fallon Bowman and Mercedes Lander met in gym class. Morgan Lander became the lead vocalist and one of Kittie's guitarists and Tanya Candler completed the band's lineup on bass. After signing to NG Records, Kittie released their debut album 'Spit', which was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. The band released 'Oracle' in 2001 and 'Until the End' in 2004. In 2005, Kittie parted ways with Artemis Records and created their own label. The band released 'Funeral for Yesterday' in 2007 and signed to E1 Music in 2009. The band released 'In the Black' in 2009 and 'I've Failed You' in 2011. In 2014, Kittie made a documentary as a 20th anniversary of the band.
In October 2016, it was announced that drummer/vocalist Mercedes Lander had started a new sludge/doom metal band called the White Swan that released the single "Illuminate". The debut EP, Anubis, was released on November 1, 2016.
On February 11, 2017, bassist Trish Doan died at the age of 31. Doan had moved to Australia in 2013 and had frequently used her social media accounts to speak of her frustrations with depression.
On August 30, 2017, the band announced that they would performing a three-set single concert on October 27, 2017, in their hometown of London, Ontario in the London Music Hall, featuring three different lineup variations made up of both current and former members.
The concert marked the launch of their 20-year anniversary documentary, and featured the return of Candler, Bowman, Phillips, Arroyo and Vujic to perform songs from their respective eras. The concert was released on DVD format on March 26, 2019. On March 30, 2018, the documentary Kittie: Origins/Evolutions, which was filmed prior to the reunion concert, was released on Blu-ray and DVD for the very first time. Like they did with reunion concert, Atfield and Marx declined to participate; according to Morgan Lander, Atfield was supportive of the documentary, appearing in the initial crowdfunding pitch video, but "didn’t think it was the right move for her" to appear. Packaged with the movie was a CD featuring a collection of live performances by the band. Several months later, it was announced that Lander had joined the melodic death metal band, Karkaos, as their new lead singer. In October 2020, Mercedes Lander stated that it was unlikely that Kittie would reunite to perform again without a significant financial offer and the ability to include all of the band's former members. Like her sister, she also stated that she found it difficult to go forward with the band without Doan.
Despite the previous doubts of the Lander sisters, it was announced in January 2022 that Kittie would reunite to perform on all three days of the When We Were Young festival, scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 22, 23, and 29, with Vujic returning to the band on bass for all three dates. After the announcement of the October performances, the band were added to the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia on September 8, 2022. Morgan Lander has stated that, although nothing is set in stone, she believes the band will continue performing in 2023.
Severed
Kittie Lyrics
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Truth begged to be told
I walk around in circles
To revisit where I've always been
You spoke of where your heart was
I thought I know you well
Ties that bind you have been severed
Look at you now
Truth begged to be told
Look at you now
Eyes wide open
For you bought and sold
Look at you now
Eyes wide open
Truth begged to be told
Look at you now
Eyes wide open
For you bought and sold
I want to make you feel this
Trusting arms lets me fall once again
I stood close to an enemy and closer to a friend
Ties that bind you have been severed
Look at you now
In the song "Severed," Kittie takes a deep dive into the complexity of relationships that often end up being quite different from what we expect them to be. The song opens with the artist's reflection on someone who has changed drastically from the person the singer thought they knew. The artist seems to be taking a reflective walk, wandering in circles as she tries to come to terms with the truth she is now faced with. The artist thought that she knew this person well and believed that the ties between them were strong. However, it was evident that these ties had been cut, and what they once had was no longer the same.
In the chorus, Kittie points out the current condition of this person who has been bought and sold, alluding to a profound change. The artist states that she wants to make this person feel this - perhaps wanting them to understand the gravity of the situation they have put themselves in. The artist then explores the strange and complicated relationships that tend to be precarious. In the end, the artist speaks of their experiences with an enemy and a friend, and how the ties that bind them have been cut. Through the song, Kittie reflects on the impact such changes can have on our lives, and how no matter how close we think we are with someone, things can inevitably change.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at you now
The singer is directing the listener to consider their current state
Truth begged to be told
The singer believes that a difficult truth needs to be expressed
I walk around in circles
The singer feels stuck, repeating the same patterns of behavior or thought
To revisit where I've always been
The artist is returning to a familiar location or emotional state
You spoke of where your heart was
The listener communicated their feelings and emotions
I thought I know you well
The singer believed they had a good understanding of the listener
Ties that bind you have been severed
The connections that once joined the listener to something or someone else have been broken
Eyes wide open
The listener is watching and paying attention
For you bought and sold
The listener made decisions based on financial gain, even if it sacrificed personal values
I want to make you feel this
The artist wants the listener to experience a particular emotion
Trusting arms lets me fall once again
The singer is comfortable enough with the listener to let their guard down and be vulnerable
I stood close to an enemy and closer to a friend
The artist was betrayed by someone they thought was a friend, but found support from an unlikely source
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MERCEDES LANDER, MORGAN LEE LANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind