Interview by Eetu “Ene” Niskanen
We have reached Kittie singer Morgan Lander for let know to all our readers the latest news about the brand new album “In the Black”. Enjoy!
Hello Morgan and thanks for doing our interview!
No problem and thank you for chatting with me 🙂
This year you released your new album, “In the Black”, how much work did it take to get it done and released?
This album was actually written and recorded over a fairly extended time. Most of the ideas and songs were at least sketched out while we were on tour last summer and fall, but nothing was really set in stone until after we were released from our label and were free agents. We then decided it was time to get down to the business or writing, and then once we felt that we had some great material, we went into the studio for 3 weeks to record. It was a very relaxed, laid back experience. No pressure what so ever!
Do you see any improvement compared to the earlier albums?
Comparing our previous works to “In the Black” is like night and day. We are a totally different band ability-wise and maturity-wise. We have come a long way since our “Spit” days.
Also with this album you changed labels, how was the change and how is the new label?
It was amazing to finally be signed again in Europe through Massacre Records, and through E1 Entertainment in North America. Everyone has been so accomidating and helpful with every aspect of the release. We are proud to be a part of the E1 and Massacre families.
You also have a new bassist, how is it working with her?
Ivy actually joined the band in 2007, and she has been a great addition to the band. She is super talented, driven and really just wants what we all want, which is to make Kittie the best that we can be. We all get along and have such a good time playing together, its nice to have that kind of stability finally!
Was it important to get female bassist to stay as all-female band?
Yes and no. While we were waiting to fill the void left by Trish when she exited the band in mid 2007, we had our friend Jeff Phillips join us for a few tours. He also played with us for a few years early on in our career. We honestly just wanted someone who knew the songs and was good at what they do, so it was never really an issue. When it came time for a permanant replacement, however, we knew that reputation-wise, we should be looking for a female. It’s actually not that important to find a woman, but in a way thats what most people expect when they hear the name Kittie.
I just did interview with Masha from Arkona so I’ll ask you the same question, there are still very little bands with female growler, how did you come up with the idea of extreme vocals performed by you?
Honestly it was something that came naturally to me. It was a way to express how I was feeling and in order to match the dynamic and power of the songs we were writing, I needed to scream. It was never really a very conscious decision, it was all very organic and my style and abilities developed over time.
From the new album, what are your favourite songs and why?
I love songs like “My Plague”, “Forgive and Forget” and “Cut Throat” for their speed and intensity, and I especially love “Sorrow I Know” for its dark feel and somber mood. I love the entire album, but these are stand-out tracks for me!
After all these year with Kittie where do you see girls in 5-10 years?
I see us continuing to make music and tour. We are all still young and have so much more to learn and to offer musically. There is no slowing us down!
What kind of music do you listen yourself and how often?
I have quite a diverse set of songs in my iPod that I listen to on a regular basis. I listen to something extreme and heavy just about every day while I am at the gym, and I find that bands like Carcass, Behemoth, At The Gates and Metallica all work really well for high-intensity purposes! I do have alot of more rock based stuff that I listen to often aswell, like Kings of Leon too, for the more chill moments!
Who are your biggest influences?
Personally I don’t really have too many idols musically, but I was shaped early on by bands like Van Halen, Heart and Ted Nugent. I respect and admire so many bands though, especially if there is hope or perseverance in their story. Bands like Pantera and Metallica give me hope for the future of the greatness of heavy metal.
In the end, are you working on any quest performances, if not would you like to do?
And by quest do you mean tours abroad? Because we are definitely hitting up Europe and the UK this January in support of “In the Black”!
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