Oracle is the second studio album by Canadian heavy metal band Kittie, released on November 12, 2001, through Artemis Records. Produced by Garth Richardson and co-produced by vocalist and guitarist Morgan Lander, the album saw Kittie transition towards an extreme metal and death metal-based sound, moving on from the nu metal sound of Spit (1999). The album was recorded as a trio, following the departure of co-founding member and guitarist Fallon Bowman weeks before recording was due to commence; Jeff Phillips was subsequently brought in as an additional guitarist for the band's live performances in support of the album. Oracle was Kittie's only album with bassist Talena Atfield, who left the band four months after its release.

Oracle received generally mixed reviews from critics, who acknowledged Kittie's musical growth but felt that the album lacked originality or a distinct identity. The album debuted at number 57 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 33,000 copies in its opening week, and also made appearances on the German and UK Albums Charts. By 2004, the album had sold 220,000 copies in the United States.[1] Kittie embarked on an international tour in support of the album from August 2001 to February 2003.

Background and recording

In November 1999, Kittie released their debut album Spit, through Ng Records. Shortly after the album's release, Ng was acquired by Artemis Records, who gave the album a wider release on January 11, 2000.[2] The album was a commercial success, becoming certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[3] The band toured heavily in support of the album, and made appearances on the Ozzfest and SnoCore tours in 2000 and 2001.[4][5]

Artemis wanted Kittie to begin recording a new album after the Ozzfest tour in September 2000,[6] which the band refused to do, as they felt that they weren't finished touring.[7] Nevertheless, they began working on new material whilst out on the road, and during their tours in support of Spit, Kittie debuted the songs "Pain" and "Mouthful of Poison" live.[5][8] In early 2001, Kittie's vocalist and guitarist Morgan Lander indicated in various interviews that the band's next album would be "more aggressive" than Spit.[5][9] Once touring wrapped up in February 2001, the band begun jamming new material together at Morgan and drummer Mercedes Lander's parents' house in London, Ontario.[9][10] Whilst the band worked on the music together, Morgan wrote its lyrics.[11] As with Spit, the band would composing the music first, and then using that "as the backdrop behind the vocals."[9] Kittie found writing to be difficult and frustrating;[12] Mercedes found writing to be particularly hard, as she had not "come into to [her] own for writing songs" at the time.[13]

By May 2001, Kittie were booked to record Oracle at EMAC Recording Studios in London, Ontario with producer Garth Richardson, who worked with the band on Spit, between July 21 and August 14, 2001.[14] Morgan had indicated a few months prior that Kittie would likely record with Richardson again as "He lets us do whatever the hell we want".[10] Weeks before recording was due to begin,[15] however, co-founding member and guitarist Fallon Bowman left Kittie due to creative differences with Morgan and her own struggles dealing with the band's newfound pressures.[16][17] On July 1, 2001, the band performed their only concert for that month in Alberquerque, New Mexico with a then-unknown male guitarist, sparking rumours about her departure.[18][19] On August 9, 2001, Artemis Records announced that Kittie would be continuing as a three piece (Bowman was not named in the statement), with Jeff Phillips, the band's guitar tech, filling in as a touring guitarist.[19][20]

As a result of Bowman's departure, Morgan recorded all of Oracle's guitar parts herself.[21] Richardson said that recording the album was easier than its writing process due to Morgan and Mercedes "knowing what they wanted to do".[22] In a 2001 interview with Guitar World, Morgan said: "We've never been ones for frivolous experimentation in the studio—we [Kitte] just [wanted] to make a straight-ahead metal record. Our attitude was, Don't fuck around; don't play bloops or bleeps."[23] Morgan and bassist Talena Atfield recorded their parts "using, essentially, their live rigs"; a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifer (occasionally an Egnater) and a Ampeg B5R amp, respectively.[23] The album was mixed by Randy Staub at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, and it was completed on August 28, 2001.[24] The recording of Oracle also marked the first collaboration between Kittie and Siegfried Meier, an assistant engineer who would go on to produce two of their later albums, In the Black (2009) and I've Failed You (2011).[25]

Composition and lyrics

Oracle has been described by critics as death metal,[26][27][28] nu metal,[29][30][31] and heavy metal.[32] According to Spin, Oracle "drops its predecessor's alt-rock affections in search of a 'pure metal' sound".[33] The album contains heavy, chopping guitar riffs and percussion,[34][27] and features screamed, growled and clean singing.[35][34][36] The album's sound was also compared to Pantera.[26][37] In an interview with The GW Hatchet, Morgan claimed that the band "haven’t written [new material] in 4 or 5 years", and that the band members were only 14 years old when writing their debut album.[9] She also acknowledged a change in influence from their early days, stating, "Then we listened to bands like Nirvana, Silverchair, and Alice in Chains. Now we listen to stuff like Cannibal Corpse and Nile."[9] In a 2007 interview with the Cleveland Scene, Morgan additionally stated:

"[Oracle] was [an] album that had to be done. It was heavier, faster, more screaming — it was sort of our time to prove that we weren't gimmicks, that we weren't what a lot of critics wrote us off as, that we were a real metal band, and [so] we wrote a real metal album."[38]

As she had on Spit, Morgan based Oracle's lyrics off of own personal experiences.[39] However, she noted that they were written from a broader, less localized perspective than she had done previously:[39] "I know myself a lot better than I did five years ago so I feel comfortable writing things. It's not always about anger and hate."[40] She also noted that its lyrics do not feature any swearing: "It wasn't an intended thing but I think I found a way to express myself more particularly without using 'fuck' and 'shit' and 'I hate you' and 'Shut up' -- that sort of thing."[40][11] "Mouthful of Poison", a song about "professional jealousy",[33] was inspired by "an incident [Kittie] went through, where basically people who like to be mean start rumours to bring other people down", according to Morgan.[8] "Severed" is about "feeling hopelessness and abandonment".[33] Kittie originally recorded their cover of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell" for a scrapped Pink Floyd tribute album; they had covered the song during their tours in 2000,[41] and included on Oracle "to get it out of our hair", according to Morgan.[42] "Pain", which was written during the Ozzfest tour in the summer of 2000, discusses "the stresses of a grueling [sic] tour schedule".[10] "What I Always Wanted" is about Kittie's newfound pressures for success.[24][43] "Safe" is about hope, and "having a dream and being patient about achieving it."[44] The closing track "Pink Lemonade", which is over ten minutes long, was compared to the Slipknot songs "Scissors" and "Iowa".[31][45]

Explaining the album title, Morgan stated:

"An oracle speaks of truth, and sort of foresees the future. This album is a coming-into-our-own album. We've found our own sound, and it's our truth. If you're not feeling in your heart what you're putting in to music, it's not worth a thing-I'm all about integrity, and keeping things pure and true, the way you intended them to be. There is a lot of emotion manifested into this really aggressive, raw sort of album, and it comes out in the music. I found out after we named the album that our ears have an oracle, and so do our hearts-So Oracle pertains to music, emotions, your heart. There's a lot that is intertwined."[32]

Release

Promotion

Artemis Records shipped 400,000 copies of Oracle to stores before its release.[46] Originally set for release on October 30, 2001,[20] its release date was pushed back due to the September 11 attacks.[47] The album was released in Europe on November 12, 2001,[48] and in the United States the day after.[49] The lead single from the album, "What I Always Wanted" was first released as on October 9, 2001.[50] A music video for the song was released later that month; it was directed by Thomas Mignone, and "concerns the self-destructive consequences of greed".[51] The single peaked at number 36 on Billboard's Active Rock chart,[52] whilst the video received heavy airplay on the MTV, MTV2, MTVX and MuchMusic channels.[46] On January 16, 2002, Kittie released "Run Like Hell" as a digital-only single.[53] That same month, Artemis serviced the Live in Hell EP to radio stations, featuring the song and three live tracks recorded in Detroit.[54][55] The album's third and final single, "In Winter", was released on May 13, 2002.[56] In addition, Kittie self-financed two live music videos for "Run Like Hell" and "Pain".[57][58]

Oracle debuted and peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 33,000 copies in its first week,[46][52] before dropping to number 116 in its second week.[59]The album remained on the chart for five weeks, after which time the album had sold 93,000 copies in the United States.[52][60] The album also reached number 91 on the German Offizielle Top 100 Albums chart, and number 121 on the UK Albums Chart.[61] By July 2004, Oracle had sold 220,000 copies in the United States.[1] Kittie has attributed the album's lackluster performance to a lack of advertising and support from Artemis.[57][62]

Touring

On September 10, 2001, Kittie performed a one-off concert at the Highbury Garage in London, England.[63] The band then embarked on an international tour in support of Oracle, staring with two tours of North America, from October 21 to November 23, 2001 and December 27, 2001, to January 26, 2002.[49][51][64] Ill Niño supported the band on both tours, with No One and Chimaira providing additional support on the second tour.[49][64] From February 2 to March 2, 2002, the band toured Europe supported by Shadows Fall.[65] On March 18, 2002, Talena Atfield left the band.[66] In Kittie: Origins/Evolutions (2017), Morgan claimed that Atfield "was becoming disillusioned with being in [Kittie]" during the recording of Oracle,[67] and Mercedes claimed that Atfield "wasn't really around [for recording] to the extent Morgan and I were there, and Jeff [Phillips]. Jeff was there the entire time."[68] Two days later, the band recruited Jennifer Arroyo, formerly of the rap metal band Spine, as her replacement.[66] Arroyo and Kittie had first met each other in 2000, when both of their bands played on Farmclub.com.[66]

Arroyo played her debut gig with Kittie in Manchester, New Hampshire on March 29, 2002.[69][70] From April 7 to April 21, 2002, Kittie embarked on the F.ck Yer Label tour with Skinlab, Flaw and My Ruin.[71][72] On May 25, 2002, Kittie performed on the Kerrang! stage of the UK edition of Ozzfest at Donington Park, as part of the first (and only) European Ozzfest tour.[73][74] In July and August 2002, the band toured with Shadows Fall, Poison the Well, Killswitch Engage and Hotwire.[75][76][77] In October and November 2002, the band toured with Ünloco, Acacia and Clockwise.[78][79] Coinciding with the tour, Kittie released the Safe EP on November 19, 2002, which features five live tracks recorded at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California, on August 12, 2002, and two remixes of "Safe" by Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM.[78] The EP had sold 20,000 copies by November 2003.[57] In January and February 2003, Kittie toured the United States with Brand New Sin and Eighteen Visions.[80][81][82]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic56/100[83]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[26]
Alternative Press[84]
Blender[85]
Robert Christgau(1-star Honorable Mention)[86]
Drowned in Sound9/10[28]
Kerrang![87]
NME5/10[27]
Q[88]
Rolling Stone[34]
Spin7/10[89]

On review aggregator website Metacritic, Oracle holds a score of 56 out of 100, based on reviews from eight critics, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[83] Writing for AllMusic, Bradley Torreano called Oracle "an average album by a promising band who needs to find a distinct identity".[26] Similarly, Tom Moon of Rolling Stone wrote: "Kittie sound like they want to pursue harder extremes but can't decide whether to snicker or snarl, to play doomsayer or dominatrix."[34] Robert Christgau cited "Run Like Hell" and "What I Always Wanted" as highlights and assigned the album a one-star honorable rating.[86]

Hit Parader gave the album a B− grade and wrote, "There's no question that this is a better effort in a technical and song-structure sense than [Spit ], but somehow it doesn't seem quite as satisfying".[90] PopMatters praised the album's musicianship and Morgan Lander's vocals, but felt that "its music relies too much on metal formula".[35] Kerrang! said that Oracle was "[t]echnically [...] a great metal record, yet there's barely a riff, shout or double-pedalled beat you haven't heard somewhere else". The review concluded, "you'll be wishing this steel-clawed beast got in touch with its feminine side a bit more."[87]

Imran Ahmed of NME found Oracle to be "plain overbearing", and "a violent marriage of melody and brutality that makes for a highly uneasy listen".[27] Q magazine criticized the album as "one-dimensional" and "uninspired",[88] whilst Ben Mitchell of Blender dismissed it as "Entirely dispensable".[85] Conversely, Alternative Press saw Kittie as having "[moved] from novelty status to bone-crushing legitimacy",[84] and Ollie Appleby of Drowned in Sound lauded the album as "One of the best albums this year, one of the most together albums of the year, [and] one of the most (internally) varied albums of the year."[28]

Oracle placed 20th on Metal Hammer's "Albums of 2001" list.[91] In September 2008, Hit Parader placed Oracle at number 82 on their list of "The Top 100 CDs of the 21st Century".[92]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kittie, except "Run Like Hell", written by David Gilmour and Roger Waters.[93]

Standard release
No.TitleLength
1."Oracle"2:02
2."Mouthful of Poison"4:38
3."In Winter"5:32
4."Severed"3:20
5."Run Like Hell" (Pink Floyd cover)4:09
6."Pain"3:49
7."Wolves"3:25
8."What I Always Wanted"3:43
9."Safe"4:12
10."No Name"2:14
11."Pink Lemonade"10:37
Total length:47:41
European limited edition CD (recorded live in Hultsfred, Sweden on June 15, 2000)
No.TitleLength
12."Spit"2:44
13."Brackish"2:54
14."Suck"3:19
15."Do You Think I'm a Whore?"2:21
16."Raven"4:00
Total length:63:07

Personnel

Adapted from liner notes.[93]

Kittie

  • Morgan Lander: vocals, guitar, piano
  • Mercedes Lander: drums
  • Talena Atfield: bass
Production

Artwork

  • Morgan Lander - artwork concept
  • Brett Weiss - album artwork and layout (for JSR Merchandising)
  • Yvette Conley - photography
  • Dr. Matthew Somers - x ray consultant
  • Dr. Michael Richardson - x-rays

Charts

Release history

Release history for Oracle
ReigonLabelFormatDateCatalog #Ref.
Europe
CDNovember 12, 2001504810 2[48]
United StatesArtemisCDNovember 13, 2001751094-2[98]
Europe
CDAugust 16, 2004RCD17026[99]
EuropeMetal MindCD (digipak)November 24, 2008MASS CD 1244 DG[100]
VariousMNRK Music GroupLPNovember 25, 2022MNK-LP-46810[101]

References

  1. ^ a b Zulaica, Don (July 28, 2004). "liveDaily Interview: Morgan Lander of Kittie". LiveDaily. Archived from the original on November 22, 2005. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  2. ^ Leivers, Dannii (September 17, 2021). "The Story Behind The Song: Kittie's Brackish". Metal Hammer (loudersound). Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  3. ^ Pesselnick 2000.
  4. ^ Mancini, Rob (April 18, 2000). "Kittie Preps Home Video, Music Video". MTV. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c NME (January 30, 2001). "KITTIE SINK THEIR CLAWS INTO NAPSTER". NME. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  6. ^ Blabbermouth (August 19, 2003). "Kittie And Producer File New Claims In Suit Against Artemis Records". Blabbermouth.net. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  7. ^ McCallum 2017, 31:30–31:41.
  8. ^ a b Lane 2001a, p. 41.
  9. ^ a b c d e Joseph, Peter (February 8, 2001). "Sno-core Ball hits with metal edge". The GW Hatchet. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  10. ^ a b c van Horn, Teri (March 12, 2001). "Kittie Sharpen Their Claws For Next Album". MTV. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  11. ^ a b
  12. ^ "Playlouder review". Archived from the original on February 11, 2002. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  13. ^ Ferris, D. X. "Kittie". Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  14. ^ Kotz, Pete (March 21, 2007). "Talking Girl Metal from Kittie's Morgan Lander". Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Stillman 2001, p. 66.
  16. ^ a b Ebner 2001.
  17. ^ "Interview: Kittie" (published February 27, 2014). May 28, 2000. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  18. ^ Iwasaki, Scott (August 2, 2002). "Kittie has come far from 'just for fun'". Deseret News. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  19. ^ Prato, Greg (October 14, 2015). "Morgan Lander of Kittie : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  20. ^ Jennings 2001.
  21. ^ Udo 2001.
  22. ^ a b c Hart 2001.
  23. ^ Cantin, Paul (September 20, 2001). "Kittie album delayed by NYC attacks". Jam! Showbiz. Archived from the original on October 27, 2002. Retrieved April 23, 2024 – via canoe.com.
  24. ^ a b Durham 2001, p. 38.
  25. ^ a b c D'Angelo, Joe (December 11, 2001). "Kittie Hitting The Road After Christmas". MTV. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  26. ^ Anon. 2001a.
  27. ^ a b D'Angelo, Joe (October 8, 2001). "Kittie Shake A Finger At The Greedy In New Video". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Kittie". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  29. ^ "Artemis Records - Artist News". artemisrecords.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2002. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  30. ^ Correia 2001.
  31. ^ Sciarretto 2002.
  32. ^ Anon. 2002a.
  33. ^ a b c tteezzaa (December 8, 2003). "Interviews 2003 : Morgan & Mercedes of Kittie". The Metal Exiles. Archived from the original on December 11, 2003. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  34. ^ Smathers (2002). "Kittie - Morgan Lander". Uranium (Interview 2). Archived from the original on January 7, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  35. ^ Anon. 2001b.
  36. ^ Sludge, Metal. "Sludge Scans For December 2001 | Metal Sludge". Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  37. ^ "Rob Zombie And Sevendust Debut Solid, "Oracle" Reveals Future". shoutweb.com. November 21, 2001. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2001.
  38. ^ "Kittie" (PDF). Disposable Underground (Issue 28). 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2006. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  39. ^ Adams, Sean (September 10, 2001). "Drowned in Sound - Live - Kittie". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on July 7, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  40. ^ a b "They Put The Grrr In Grrrl". Pollstar News. December 26, 2001. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  41. ^ "Shadows Fall to support Kittie on the road in UK". lambgoat.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  42. ^ a b c Williams, Jonathan (2002). "Hear Kittie Kittie: Canadian Metal Maidens". Prick. Archived from the original on February 3, 2003. Retrieved April 23, 2024.Einzelnachweisen) ausgestattet. Angaben ohne ausreichenden Beleg könnten demnächst entfernt werden. Bitte hilf Wikipedia, indem du die Angaben recherchierst und gute Belege einfügst.

Kittie ist eine kanadische Nu-Metal-Band.

Geschichte

Morgan Lee Lander

Kittie wurde 1996 von Morgan und Mercedes Lander gegründet. Fallon Bowman kam dazu, als sie und Mercedes sich im Sportunterricht trafen. Ihre erste Bassistin war Tanya Candler, die aber im Winter 1996 (noch vor dem ersten Album) die Band aufgrund gesundheitlicher Probleme verließ. Sie wurde durch Talena Atfield ersetzt.

2001 verließ Fallon Bowman Kittie und startete ein neues Projekt namens Amphibious Assault. Fallons Position an der Gitarre wurde später durch Jeff Phillips ersetzt, der vorher als Kitties Gitarren-Techniker gearbeitet hatte. Er spielte aber nur bei Live-Auftritten mit und wurde in der Öffentlichkeit nie als vollwertiges Mitglied der Band angesehen.

2002 verließ Talena Atfield die Band. Sie wurde durch Jennifer Arroyo ersetzt. 2004 ein erneuter Wechsel, die Gitarristin Lisa Marx ersetzte Jeff Phillips, denn dieser spielte wieder Vollzeit bei Thine Eyes Bleed. Darauf folgte (nach einer dreijährigen Pause, verursacht durch Streitigkeiten mit ihrem Label Artemis Records) das dritte Studioalbum Until the End.

Die Kanadierinnen Trish Doan und Tara McLeod ersetzten 2005 die Bassistin Jennifer Arroyo und die Gitarristin Lisa Marx. Tara McLeod spielte zuvor in der kanadischen Metal-Band Sherry.

Am 20. Februar 2007 erschien in Deutschland das vierte Kittie-Album Funeral for Yesterday. Im März 2008 wurde Trish Doan, die an einer Essstörung erkrankte, durch Ivy Vujic ersetzt. Im Herbst 2008 folgte eine Europatournee.

Das fünfte Studioalbum In the Black erschien im September 2009. Auch ein Videoclip zum Song Cut Throat wurde veröffentlicht.

Zwei Jahre später im August 2011 erschien das mittlerweile sechste Album der Band mit dem Titel I've Failed You.

Am 13. Februar 2012 gab die Band bekannt, dass Trish Doan zurückkehrt und die Bassistin Ivy Vujic ersetzt. Doan verstarb am 11. Februar 2017 im Alter von 31 Jahren.[1]

Stil

Der Musikstil der Band ist beeinflusst von Bands wie Silverchair oder Slipknot und am ehesten als Nu Metal oder Groove Metal einzuordnen. In ihren Songs richtet sich die Band unter anderem gegen Machos, Pädophile und Politiker. Aufgrund der Songtexte wurden einige Lieder aus dem amerikanischen Radio verbannt.

In einem Interview sagte Frontfrau Morgan Lander:

„Wir hatten keine Lust halbnackt wie Britney Spears rumzusäuseln und nur durch unsere Körper an Geld zu gelangen. In unseren Songs lassen wir oft unseren Frust raus.“

Diskografie

Alben

JahrTitel
Musiklabel		Höchstplatzierung, Gesamtwochen, AuszeichnungChartplatzierungenChartplatzierungen
(Jahr, Titel, Musiklabel, Plat­zie­rungen, Wo­chen, Aus­zeich­nungen, Anmer­kungen)		Anmerkungen
 DE UK US
2000Spit
Artemis Records		——US79
Gold
Gold

(37 Wo.)US
Erstveröffentlichung: 11. Januar 2000
Verkäufe: + 500.000
2001Oracle
Artemis Records		DE91
(1 Wo.)DE		—US57
(5 Wo.)US
Erstveröffentlichung: 30. Oktober 2001
2004Until the End
Artemis Records		——US105
(2 Wo.)US
Erstveröffentlichung: 27. Juli 2004
2007Funeral for Yesterday
X of Infamy Records		——US101
(1 Wo.)US
Erstveröffentlichung: 20. Februar 2007
2009In the Black
eOne Music		——US133
(1 Wo.)US
Erstveröffentlichung: 15. September 2009
2011I´ve Failed You
eOne Music		———
Erstveröffentlichung: 30. August 2011

EPs

  • 2000: Paperdoll
  • 2002: Safe
  • 2006: Never Again

Singles

JahrTitel
Album		Höchstplatzierung, Gesamtwo