Complete List Of Kittie Band Members

In the male-dominated realm of heavy metal, few all-female bands have made as significant an impact as Kittie. Founded in London, Ontario in 1996, the band began as a teenage project when guitarist Fallon Bowman and drummer Mercedes Lander started playing music together after meeting in a gymnastics class. Within months, Mercedes’ sister Morgan joined as vocalist and guitarist, and the following year, bassist Tanya Candler completed the original lineup. From these humble beginnings emerged a formidable force in metal music that would go on to sell over two million albums worldwide and inspire countless female musicians. The band’s name was chosen specifically because it seemed contradictory to their heavy sound, subverting expectations from the start. After signing with Ng Records (later absorbed by Artemis Records), Kittie released their debut album “Spit” in 1999, which was certified gold by the RIAA after selling at least 600,000 copies in the United States alone.

Over their career spanning multiple decades, Kittie has released seven studio albums that showcase their evolution from nu-metal roots to a more complex, aggressive sound incorporating elements of death metal, groove metal, thrash, and gothic influences. Their discography includes “Spit” (1999), “Oracle” (2001), “Until the End” (2004), “Funeral for Yesterday” (2007), “In the Black” (2009), “I’ve Failed You” (2011), and after a thirteen-year recording hiatus, “Fire” (2024). Through numerous lineup changes, the Lander sisters—Morgan and Mercedes—have remained the band’s only constant members and creative core. Throughout their career, Kittie has faced and overcome industry sexism, financial challenges, personal tragedies including the loss of bassist Trish Doan in 2017, and the typical struggles of maintaining a career in the volatile music business. After an indefinite hiatus that began following their 2013 performances, Kittie reunited in 2022 for festival appearances, which led to their signing with Sumerian Records and the release of their acclaimed comeback album “Fire” in 2024.

Beyond their musical impact, Kittie has provided a crucial template for female representation in extreme metal, proving that gender is irrelevant to the ability to create powerful, aggressive music. Their journey was documented in the film “Kittie: Origins/Evolutions” (2018), which chronicled their history and culminated in a special reunion concert featuring various past and present members. Now in their third decade as a band, Kittie continues to inspire with their resilience, musical evolution, and unwavering commitment to their artistic vision, cementing their legacy as pioneers who helped reshape the landscape for women in heavy music.

Morgan Lander

Morgan Lander, born January 6, 1982, in London, Ontario, Canada, is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter for Kittie. As co-founder of the band alongside her sister Mercedes, Morgan has been the voice and face of Kittie since its formation in 1996 when she was only 14 years old. Her distinctive vocal style, which seamlessly transitions between melodic clean singing and harsh growls or screams, has become one of Kittie’s defining characteristics. Morgan’s early musical journey began with piano lessons at age five, followed by guitar at 16, building the foundation for her multifaceted role in the band. Over the years, her guitar playing and songwriting have evolved considerably, contributing to Kittie’s progression from their nu-metal origins to a more technical, aggressive sound incorporating death metal, groove metal, and gothic elements.

Throughout Kittie’s seven studio albums, Morgan’s vocal versatility has been showcased across a wide range of styles. On their debut album “Spit” (1999), her approach included elements of rapping along with screaming and clean vocals, reflecting the nu-metal influences of that era. As the band evolved with albums like “Oracle” (2001) and “Until the End” (2004), Morgan’s vocals grew more intense and technically proficient, incorporating more death metal-inspired techniques. By the time of “In the Black” (2009) and “I’ve Failed You” (2011), her command of both guttural growls and haunting clean vocals had become a signature element of Kittie’s sound. With the band’s 2024 comeback album “Fire,” Morgan’s vocals display the maturity and refinement that comes with decades of experience, while retaining the raw aggression that first put Kittie on the map.

Beyond her role in Kittie, Morgan has collaborated with other artists, providing guest vocals for bands such as the Canadian death metal group Kataklysm on their track “It Turns to Rust” from the 2006 album “In the Arms of Devastation.” During Kittie’s extended hiatus, Morgan remained creatively active and has been open about the personal and professional growth that occurred during this period. In interviews discussing the band’s 2024 return with “Fire,” she has spoken about the challenges of balancing Kittie with other aspects of life and how the unexpected opportunity to return to the band felt like “something deeper than fate.” As the primary lyricist for the band, Morgan’s writing often explores themes of personal struggle, resilience, and defiance—themes that reflect Kittie’s own journey through the music industry. Her enduring presence as a female vocalist in extreme metal has made her an influential figure for a generation of musicians, proving that gender is no barrier to creating powerful, aggressive music.

Mercedes Lander

Mercedes Lander, born January 25, 1984, in London, Ontario, is the thunderous heartbeat of Kittie as the band’s drummer and co-founder. Along with her sister Morgan, Mercedes has been the only constant member throughout Kittie’s existence since forming the band in 1996 when she was just 12 years old after meeting guitarist Fallon Bowman in a gymnastics class. Like her sister, Mercedes began her musical journey with piano lessons at age five before gravitating toward drums. Her powerful, technical drumming style has been a defining element of Kittie’s sound across all seven of their studio albums, from their 1999 debut “Spit” through their 2024 comeback album “Fire.”

As the band evolved from their nu-metal beginnings to incorporate more extreme metal elements, Mercedes’ drumming similarly progressed, incorporating more complex patterns, blast beats, and dynamic shifts. Her rhythmic foundation has been crucial to Kittie’s increasingly technical approach on albums like “Oracle” (2001), “Until the End” (2004), and “In the Black” (2009). Beyond her drumming contributions, Mercedes has been deeply involved in the band’s business decisions alongside her sister, helping to navigate the challenges of the music industry, including the creation of their own record label, X of Infamy Records (originally called Kiss of Infamy Records until legal issues forced a name change), to release their 2007 album “Funeral for Yesterday.”

During Kittie’s extended hiatus, Mercedes remained active in the music world, forming the doom metal/sludge project The White Swan in 2016, where she expanded her artistic palette by handling vocal duties in addition to drums. This project allowed her to explore different musical territory while Kittie was inactive, showcasing her versatility as a musician. When describing the decision to revive Kittie in 2022 after receiving offers to perform at festivals, Mercedes has spoken about the band being an intrinsic part of her identity, making it impossible to ever completely close that chapter. Her drumming on “Fire” demonstrates the technical maturity gained from decades of experience while maintaining the aggressive energy that has always characterized her playing. Throughout Kittie’s numerous lineup changes, Mercedes’ steady presence behind the kit has provided continuity to the band’s sound, making her an essential part of their enduring legacy as pioneers for women in extreme metal.

Tara McLeod

Tara McLeod joined Kittie in 2005 as lead guitarist, bringing a new dimension to the band’s sound at a pivotal point in their evolution. Her arrival coincided with Kittie’s transition toward a more technical direction after their third album “Until the End” (2004), and her intricate guitar work has been an integral part of the band’s sound ever since. McLeod made her recording debut with Kittie on their 2006 EP “Never Again,” followed by the full-length album “Funeral for Yesterday” (2007). Her technical prowess and melodic sensibilities helped shape the sound of subsequent albums “In the Black” (2009) and “I’ve Failed You” (2011), establishing her as a crucial component of the band’s mature musical identity.

Unlike earlier Kittie guitarists who came and went, McLeod has demonstrated remarkable longevity with the band, remaining a member for nearly two decades despite the band’s extended hiatus. When Kittie performed their special 20th-anniversary reunion concert in 2017 (documented in the film “Origins/Evolutions”), McLeod was present alongside various past members, confirming her important place in the band’s history. When Kittie ended their hiatus in 2022 to perform at festivals like Blue Ridge Rock Festival and When We Were Young, McLeod returned to her position as lead guitarist, demonstrating her continued commitment to the band. Her contributions to their 2024 comeback album “Fire” have been praised for their inventive guitar parts that add “spicy layers” to the songs while maintaining compositional focus.

Throughout her tenure with Kittie, McLeod has maintained a relatively low profile compared to the Lander sisters, rarely giving solo interviews and seemingly comfortable with letting her guitar work speak for itself. This steady, drama-free presence has provided stability to a band that experienced significant lineup turmoil in its early years. In discussing the writing process for “Fire,” band members noted that despite living far apart from one another, they were able to click immediately when they finally gathered as a unit, with McLeod commenting that it was “super refreshing” how well the four musicians connected after such a long time apart. Her technical skill and musical chemistry with the other members have made her an essential part of Kittie’s modern sound, contributing significantly to the band’s renewed vitality on their latest release.

Ivy Vujic Jenkins

Ivana “Ivy” Vujic Jenkins, born June 15, 1983, in Serbia (though raised in Canada), has served as Kittie’s bassist across two significant periods in the band’s history. She first joined Kittie in October 2007, initially as a temporary replacement for Trish Doan, who had left the band due to health issues related to anorexia athletica-nervosa. What began as a fill-in role for tours in Central and South America soon became permanent, with Jenkins officially becoming a full-time member in 2008. During her first stint with Kittie, Jenkins recorded on two studio albums: “In the Black” (2009) and “I’ve Failed You” (2011), helping to define the band’s sound during this mature phase of their career.

In February 2012, Jenkins announced her departure from Kittie, stating that after “four amazing years” with the band, it was time for her to move on, noting that “there are still other things for me to do in my life.” Coincidentally, Trish Doan, whom Jenkins had originally replaced, returned to the bassist position following her departure. Ten years later, in a symmetrical twist of fate, Jenkins would rejoin Kittie in January 2022 when the band ended their extended hiatus to perform at festivals like Blue Ridge Rock and When We Were Young. Her return came after the tragic death of Doan in 2017, which had contributed to uncertainty about Kittie’s future. Jenkins’ reappearance in the lineup helped facilitate the band’s comeback, leading to their signing with Sumerian Records and the recording of their 2024 album “Fire.”

Jenkins’ bass playing is characterized by a thick, heavy tone that anchors Kittie’s aggressive sound, providing a solid foundation for the guitar work of Morgan Lander and Tara McLeod. Her technical skill and musical chemistry with drummer Mercedes Lander create a formidable rhythm section that drives the band’s intensity. Prior to her time with Kittie, Jenkins played bass for the melodic hard rock band In The Wake from Toronto, bringing that experience to her role in the heavier context of Kittie. Though less publicly visible than the Lander sisters, Jenkins’ contribution to Kittie’s sound is essential to their musical identity. In press materials for “Fire,” Jenkins noted that producer Nick Raskulinecz “fits the spirit of Kittie” because of their shared musical philosophy of simply trying to make the best music possible rather than chasing trends, reflecting her own artistic approach to being in the band.

Former Key Members

Fallon Bowman

Fallon Bowman, born November 16, 1982, holds the distinction of being Kittie’s co-founder alongside Mercedes Lander when the two met in a gymnastics class in 1996. As the band’s original lead guitarist, Bowman played a crucial role in shaping Kittie’s early sound during their formative years. Her aggressive guitar work was prominently featured on the band’s 1999 debut album “Spit,” which achieved gold certification in the United States. Despite her important contribution to launching the band, Bowman’s tenure with Kittie was relatively brief, as she departed in 2001 shortly after the recording of their second album “Oracle,” though before its release.

Following her exit from Kittie, Bowman pursued several other musical endeavors, first forming the industrial metal project Amphibious Assault, and later the band Pigface. Her most significant post-Kittie project was Karma Cheema, an aggressive metal band with industrial elements that released the album “Karma Cheema” in 2003 and “KarmetiK” in 2004. In 2008, she started a solo project called Kittie White Noir, which featured a more electronic sound. Despite these various projects, none achieved the commercial success of her work with Kittie. In 2016, Bowman graduated from York University with a degree in history. In a significant moment for fans, Bowman reunited with Kittie for their 20th-anniversary concert in 2017, performing songs from the “Spit” era alongside original bassist Tanya Candler and the Lander sisters. This rare reunion, documented in the film “Origins/Evolutions,” allowed fans to witness the original lineup performing together for the first time since 1999, highlighting Bowman’s important place in Kittie’s history despite her early departure.

Trish Doan

Trish Doan, born May 9, 1985, in Gwangju, South Korea, joined Kittie as bassist in 2005 alongside new guitarist Tara McLeod, becoming part of a significant lineup change that would help define the band’s evolving sound. Her first recorded appearances with Kittie came on their 2006 EP “Never Again” and the 2007 full-length album “Funeral for Yesterday.” Doan’s time with the band was initially cut short when she left in 2007 due to health issues related to anorexia athletica-nervosa, which she had developed during the recording of “Funeral for Yesterday.” Her condition had continued to deteriorate during the album’s supporting tour, necessitating her departure from the band.

After leaving Kittie, Doan moved to Australia in 2009 to pursue an education, later returning to Canada in 2011. In a surprising development, she rejoined Kittie in February 2012 following the departure of her replacement, Ivy Vujic Jenkins. This reunion was significant for both Doan and the band, with her first performance back with Kittie taking place at the Soundwave Festival in Australia. Tragically, Doan’s second tenure with the band was cut short when she died on February 11, 2017, at the age of 31. While no official cause of death was announced, reports suggested that it may have been suicide, and it was known that Doan had struggled with depression, often speaking about her mental health challenges on social media.

Doan’s death had a profound impact on Kittie, with Morgan Lander describing her as someone with “boundless energy, 10,000 ideas and a fiery, vibrant light that could never be extinguished.” The band paid tribute to her memory in multiple ways, including an acoustic performance of “Funeral for Yesterday” at their 2017 reunion concert and the dedication of their documentary “Origins/Evolutions” to her memory. In interviews promoting their 2024, comeback album “Fire,” Morgan Lander acknowledged that Doan’s death had made it difficult to consider continuing Kittie, stating that it didn’t feel right to do more when “she would have wanted to be the one to be there.” Doan’s memory continues to be an important part of Kittie’s legacy, representing both the band’s tight-knit familial bond and the real human struggles behind their powerful music.

Talena Atfield

Talena Atfield joined Kittie in 1999 at the age of 17, replacing original bassist Tanya Candler just before the recording of their debut album “Spit.” Despite not playing on the record, Atfield became the bassist most associated with Kittie’s initial rise to fame, appearing in the music videos for “Brackish” and “Charlotte” that helped break the band to a mainstream audience. Her distinctive image with dreadlocked hair and her solid bass playing made her a recognizable part of Kittie during their breakthrough period. Atfield remained with the band for the recording of their second album “Oracle” (2001) and toured extensively during this period as Kittie established themselves internationally.

In 2002, Atfield left Kittie, reportedly due to both personal health issues and the financial difficulties the band was experiencing with their label at the time. Her departure coincided with Kittie’s legal battle with Artemis Records over the terms of their contract, a challenging period for the band. Following her exit from Kittie, Atfield maintained a relatively low profile in the music industry compared to some other former members. Her participation in the band’s documentary “Origins/Evolutions” was initially anticipated, as she appeared in the original promotional video for the Indiegogo campaign that funded the film and on the initial poster. However, she was noticeably absent from the final version of the documentary and its cover, suggesting possible behind-the-scenes complications.

Despite any past tensions, Atfield reunited with Kittie for their 20th-anniversary concert in 2017, performing songs from her era with the band. This appearance demonstrated her important place in Kittie’s history and legacy, particularly regarding the “Oracle” album that many fans consider a high point in the band’s discography. While her time with Kittie was relatively brief compared to some other members, Atfield’s contribution to their early success and image remains significant, representing an important chapter in the band’s evolution from local Canadian act to international metal phenomenon.

Musical Evolution and Legacy

Kittie’s musical journey over seven studio albums and more than two decades showcases a remarkable evolution from their nu-metal beginnings to a more technically complex and extreme sound. Their 1999 debut album “Spit” firmly placed them in the nu-metal category that dominated the era, featuring a blend of aggressive riffs, occasional rapping, clean vocals, and harsh screams. This foundation brought them immediate success, with the album selling over 600,000 copies in the United States and earning gold certification from the RIAA. Their sophomore effort “Oracle” (2001) began to push beyond these boundaries, incorporating more death metal influences and technical elements while retaining some of the accessibility that made “Spit” successful. By their third album, “Until the End” (2004), Kittie had largely shed their nu-metal origins in favor of a more aggressive approach emphasizing groove metal, death metal, and thrash elements.

The band’s middle period, encompassing “Funeral for Yesterday” (2007), “In the Black” (2009), and “I’ve Failed You” (2011), saw them refining this heavier direction. During this era, Kittie was increasingly viewed as a “serious full-on metal outfit” rather than being associated with the nu-metal scene that had launched them. Morgan Lander’s vocals expanded to include more varied harsh techniques alongside her melodic singing, while the instrumental compositions grew more complex and technically demanding. After a thirteen-year recording hiatus, their 2024 comeback album “Fire” has been described as drawing elements from throughout their catalog while presenting them with the maturity and refinement that comes from decades of musical growth. Critics have noted that the album incorporates “heavy metal, death metal, extreme metal, groove metal, thrash metal, gothic metal,” and other influences, showcasing the band’s ability to synthesize multiple metal subgenres into a cohesive, distinctive sound.

Throughout their career, Kittie has maintained a significant legacy as pioneers for women in extreme metal. When they emerged in the late 1990s, the sight of teenage girls playing aggressive, heavy music challenged industry stereotypes and opened doors for future female musicians in the genre. Despite facing sexism and being frequently dismissed as a novelty by parts of the metal community, Kittie proved their legitimacy through both commercial success and continual musical growth. Their total album sales exceeding two million copies worldwide stand as a testament to their impact. Beyond sales figures, their influence can be measured in the generations of female musicians they’ve inspired to pursue careers in heavy music. The 2018 documentary “Origins/Evolutions” chronicled this impact, while their successful 2024 comeback with “Fire” demonstrated their enduring relevance in the contemporary metal landscape. As Morgan Lander noted about their return, “We burn with more determination, focus and drive than ever,” suggesting that Kittie’s story—and their contribution to breaking gender barriers in metal—continues to evolve more than 25 years after their formation.