Review by Rachel Jablonski
Check out this band! Girls who play metal! They scream! Kittie rocks!
I remember seeing message boards jam-packed with raves of a band called Kittie and questioning: An all chick metal band? And they’re only teenagers? Is this some kind of marketing gimmick? It’s hard to believe that was almost 10 years ago. But gaining familiarity with the band over time, my preconceived notions diminished; this band was legit. Now, 10 years later with their own record label called X of Infamy Records, the core of Kittie, the Lander sisters, and company introduce the band’s fourth album release, Funeral for Yesterday.
The hard-rock/metal-growling-band the world has come to know through the debut, Spit, the follow-up, Oracle, and perhaps the best and most underrated album, Until the End, is a slightly different Kittie this time around. Yet, the hard hitting music rocks and establishes the continuing expansion of instrumental talent. Guitars are ablaze in tracks like “Breathe” and are further emphasized by guitar solos/interludes in songs such as in “Everything That Could Have Been,” “Slow Motion,” and “Never Again,” which even contains some cowbell. The musical maturity in Funeral for Yesterday is enjoyable, yet there is a weak aspect that is difficult to ignore.
Growled vocals typical from front woman Morgan Lander are few and far between in this latest release. Instead, melodic vocals consume the album with catchy choruses and upbeat tones. The problem is not in the catchy vocal melodies; rather it is that oftentimes Lander seems to exceed her vocal range. The high pitched tones and unvaried melodies on most tracks portray a redundant juvenile sound that is simply too upbeat for the enjoyable heavy music and the dark lyrical themes. The title track is a catchy piece, but, for a song about funerals and being six feet deep, the upbeat vocals seem to contradict and become a bit of a turn off. But the musical intensity and some exceptions to the high pitch vocal melodies allow album redemption.
“Everything That Could Have Been” is one of the better tracks on the album. A heavy and melodic track, Lander stays more in her vocal range sounding more mature and less pop-like. At last there is growling in “Never Again” which, funny enough sounds more natural for Lander. “This Too Shall Pass” is a track more like the Kittie we’re used to with more screams and heavy guitar. Yeah!
Though lacking much vocal variation, don’t count out Funeral for Yesterday just yet. With redeeming musical qualities the album grows on the listener with time and is worth a spin.