KITTIE returns to roots by re-recording standout tracks from debut album ‘Spit’
With Spit XXV, KITTIE returns not just to the scene of the crime, but to the spirit that made it legendary. These re-recorded versions of four standout tracks from their 2000 debut aren’t nostalgia plays- they’re a session of reminiscence, sharpened by time and confidence.
KITTIE is dropping a four-track EP celebrating the 25th anniversary of their gold-certified debut album. The collection features freshly re-recorded versions of ‘Brackish XXV’, ‘Charlotte XXV’, ‘Do You Think I’m A Whore XXV’ and the title track ‘Spit XXV’. All of the tracks on the EP are also being produced by Garth Richardson who helmed the original 1999 sessions at EMAC Studios.
“It’s hard to believe that 25 years after its release, and almost 30 years since KITTIE began, people are still talking about Spit,” KITTIE vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander quoted “There is something truly unexplainable in why our debut album is still resonating with people, finding a new audience and has had such a lasting impact on so many. Reimagining some of these classic songs for the 25th anniversary of Spit was a lot of fun and a true testament to their longevity. It reveals just how relevant in the musical landscape they still are today. We were honoured to work with Garth again where it all began after more than two decades, and doing so was a cool way to pay homage to the past while updating these songs with a modern sound, bringing them into the future.”
The EP kicks off with Spit XXV, which wastes no time getting in your face. The guitars chug with a crushing precision, and Morgan Lander’s screams sound just as commanding as they did 25 years ago- if not more so. The song is very rhythmic and harsh- but just when you think it’s all aggression, the pre-bridge harmonies sneak in, showing off a control and composition that feels surprisingly elegant underneath all that rage.
The original Spit earned critical recognition from Rolling Stone, who ranked the title track #82 on their “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time” in 2023.
Do You Think I’m a Whore XXV follows, and it’s somehow both tighter and wilder. The song launches straight into Lander’s raw, yet cleanly executed screams- an oxymoron that suits the band perfectly. The chorus becomes the song’s center of gravity, with haunting clean harmonies repeating the title phrase like a dare. The chemistry between guitar and drums is on full display here. Everything feels locked in- like the entire band is breathing in sync with each hit.
The standout moment of the EP comes in Brackish XXV. It opens with a deceptively light guitar melody before diving headfirst into a pulsing, almost trance-inducing groove. As I listened, I wondered to myself whether or not I was a part of some mind-control scheme preying on music nerds. Kittie, consider me under your will. This is a headphones song. The way the production dips and pulls you inward before slamming back into the chorus is disorienting in the best way. You know that feeling when you’re about to fall asleep and you suddenly jerk back into reality? That is what that bridge transition felt like- and it’s rad.
Closing track Charlotte XXV is pure confrontation- guitars and drums trading blows feels like someone is in your face daring you to take the first swing. But when the verse hits, we get some of the most open, clean vocals on the EP. Lander moves from primal screams to almost delicate melody with total control. The bridge is genuinely moving- vulnerable even- until it reminds you this is still KITTIE, and punches you in the throat on the way out.
Spit XXV doesn’t just re-record the past- it reclaims it. It is almost as if KITTIE made this EP to prove that they’re not just four teenagers from Canada anymore. These tracks are tighter, more confident, and somehow even more dangerous than the originals. KITTIE sounds like a band with nothing to prove and everything to say- and they’re saying it loud and clear…
‘Spit XXV’ EP out on 19th September 2025 via Sumerian Records
