Kittie’s fourth studio release Funeral For Yesterday hit shelves in 2007, and it’s a different sound than what we’ve heard from the Canadian quartet. Morgan Lander’s metal growls are still ever-present, but the drumming and guitar tracks have made their way to an entirely different level. We also get a taste of Morgan’s progressing singing voice on tracks such as “Breathe” and “Summer Dies”. With the addition of Tara McLeod’s guitar rifts and Trish Doan’s bass style, the songs on Funeral For Yesterday flow with an eerie yet irresistible and haunting melody.
The title track “Funeral for Yesterday” diverges from the Kittie we’re used to. It has more seemingly complicated chords, faster beats, and Morgan refrains completely from her growling vocals. This is also true for “Everything That Could Have Been” and “Will to Live.” These songs are fast-paced and have a strong air about them, yet they lack the screaming voices demanding listening ears.
Despite the songs sung more softly, the sound remains heavy metal. “Never Again” is the first track on Funeral For Yesterday that Morgan brings back the yelling vocals. It’s reminiscent of “Mouthful of Poison” with a heavy hitting beat and top-of-the-lungs screams of lies and betrayal. “Flower of Flesh and Blood” and “Around Your Heart” bring out creepy vibes from something seemingly beautiful and innocent — a flower and a heart.
“Witch Hunt” is closer to the Kittie of old with a nice vocal blend of growls and singing. This being one of their concert openers, it’s bound to be a popular track among Kittie fans. Following that track is “The Change,” another song that is sure to impress their audience with hard-hitting bass lines and expert vocals from Morgan.
Songs not to be overlooked are “This Too Shall Pass,” another blending of metal howling and singing, and “Last Goodbye.” The similarity in these tracks is the howling verses and the softer choruses. Each has a bass line unique to it and a message all its own.
One song on Funeral For Yesterday that definitely accentuates why it is a major deviant from any other Kittie material is the interlude, “Sweet Destruction.” It may seem like a habitual slow-flowing metal song at first, but it’s shorter than all of the other tracks with only four verses. Kittie has never done an interlude quite like “Sweet Destruction,” and it’s a pleasant addition to their style.
Overall, Funeral For Yesterday is a refreshing new look at Kittie and a metal band and as a unit. Although Morgan and Mercedes had to shift things around, new adventures and bonds have been made through it. The darkness of the lyrics and melodies will please any Kittie fan past or present, and it will bring future fans in faster.
The LG Blog 