File Under: Metal rating: A tracks 1. Oracle 2. Mouthful Of Poison 3. In Winter 4. Severed 5. Run Like Hell 6. Pain 7. Wolves 8. What I Always Wanted 9. Safe 10. No Name 11. Pink Lemonade related links Kittie

Spit was a fun album, four Canadian girls putting together some speed metal that would make anyone bang their head. It dripped of teenage angst and searching for validity, but all that childishness is gone here, Oracle is that teeth crushing headbutt from the long haired Slayer fan that the nu-metal scene has been waiting for. No cutesy rap, no stories of how hard it is not getting what you want when you want it, no adidas, just metal tunes that will make everyone open their eyes and move on.

Kittie comes into Oracle as a 3-piece, which made most people wonder how watered down the album would sound, but as soon as the opening title track begins, you can’t help but bang your head and try to growl along with Morgan Landers. Her voice has gotten more menacing since Spit and the sound benefits from it nicely.

The wonderful part of this record is the fact that Landers can still hit the angelic highs that has made Kittie stand out from all the other metal bands of today. Oracle has that sound that could have fit in the metal scenes from LA in the early 80’s all the way to the present day sound. No watered down rap lyrics, just pained growls and soaring melodies that will draw even the passing metal head into the fray.

There is a little fun on this album as well. The cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Run Like Hell’ is done brilliantly. This will make many an older person restart the song to make sure they're really hearing what they're hearing. No song on the album caught my attention more than ‘Pain.’ This track is the perfect union of everything I enjoyed about Kittie. Roaring vocals complemented by melodic overtones, all courtesy of Landers, and the driving, hard edged music that drives the entire affair.

This album is definitely something worth listening to, it’s a step away from the boring Ozzfest rap/metal we’ve been subjected to for the past few years, it’s surprising these girls have spent so much time with those bands, but who else can they take on the road? Warrant?

Samuel Barker is Senior Editor. Contact him at suma@rockzone.com.