In the Black

In 2007, Kittie released their fourth album, Funeral for Yesterday. Four months after the album's release, the band parted ways with bassist Trish Doan due to her struggles with anorexia athletica-nervosa.[11][12] Kittie subsequently toured with former touring guitarist Jeff Phillips on bass for several months, before hiring Ivana "Ivy" Jenkins as their new bassist later in the year.[13] Kittie knew of Jenkins as she was supposed to have auditioned for the band in 2005, but was unable to because of "circumstances [not] working in her [favour] at the time", according to vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander.[14]

Kittie began "sketching out ideas" for their next album whilst on tour in the summer of 2008, but did not sit down to begin writing new material until later in the year,[13] after they bought themselves out of their contract with Jack Ponti's Merovingian Music (MRV) label.[15] The band would record In the Black in the winter of 2008 at Beach Road Studios in Goderich, Ontario with producer Siegfried Meier, who first worked with Kittie as an assistant engineer on their second album Oracle (2001).[7][16] For the album, Meier bought a Studer A827 tape machine, which was used to record its vocals, guitars and bass parts; Mercedes Lander's drums were recorded digitally.[17] Having been disappointed by the production of Funeral for Yesterday, Kittie strove to "undo all the things [it] did" production-wise and give In the Black a raw and aggressive sound, according to Morgan;[18] Meier said that the band wanted to avoid having too many vocal harmonies and "glisteny, polished, airy things" on the album.[19] Mercedes praised Meier's production, saying that he was "the first producer [Kittie have] worked with that knows metal and knows what we want to sound like. He said he could do that for us and he did. [In the Black] is the first album that we’ve recorded that I’m totally happy with.”[7]

After the softer style of Funeral for Yesterday, Kittie returned to their more extreme sound heard on the album Until the End. In the Black incorporates elements of black metal, death metal, alternative rock and grunge.[6][20]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[20]
The A.V. Club	(unfavourable)[21]
Blabbermouth.net	7.5/10[22]
laut.de	[1]
Metal.de	6/10[23]
Rock Hard	8/10[24]
Time Off	[25]
Ultimate Guitar	7.3/10[26]

In the Black received generally positive reviews from critics. Blabbermouth.net applauded the album's "ferocious conviction" and considered it to be "the biggest metal shock of 2009".[22] Similarly, Rock Hard's Marcus Schleutermann stated that the album's songs and arrangements are "more convincing than ever", and that In the Black is "undoubtedly [their] best album."[24] Denise Falzon of Exclaim! was surprised by the quality of the album's sound and songwriting.[27] Ultimate Guitar noted Kittie's stronger instrumentation and chemistry on the album, and stated that it "could very well be the Canadian quartet's best effort".[26]

Some critics were more reserved in their praise. James Christopher Monger of AllMusic stated that In the Black only "fortifies what [Kittie have] been standing on for the last decade".[20] Jan Wischkowski of Metal.de felt that the album lacked any standout tracks.[23] Michael Edele of laut.de felt the album's guitar solos were "sloppily or just cheaply [played]".[1] The A.V. Club's Leonard Pierce and Time Off's Kenada Quinlan both noted the album's improved musicianship but criticized Morgan's vocals.[25][21]

All songs written by Kittie.

Adapted from CD liner notes.[28]

• McCallum, Rob (director) (2018). Kittie: Origins/Evolutions (Motion picture). Canada: Lightyear Entertainment.