Kittie Plays Its ‘Spit’ Songs With Some Hard Metal Polish

High school kids connect with rock ‘n’ roll with a special kind of passion and intuition, even if they rarely create the stuff themselves in any convincing way. But the four teenage women of Kittie seem to understand these things better than most, crafting a tight, hardened brand of raging metal.

The Canadians appeared at the Whisky on Tuesday dressed in spiked collars and studded belts, performing a short but solid set for a sold-out crowd. And despite the metal aesthetic, the band allowed a surprising tunefulness to occasionally emerge from the roaring guitars on songs culled from its new “Spit” album.

Singer Morgan Lander was a strong frontwoman, singing in a harsh roar that was often reminiscent of Wayne Static of Static-X, but was also capable of a deep, measured crooning. Early in the set, the platinum-haired singer led the band in an angry rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Run.”

There’s nothing new about women making loud, convincing rock ‘n’ roll. From the Runaways to Sleater-Kinney to Drain S.T.H., all-woman bands have regularly taught their male counterparts a lesson or two. But they still receive special attention and face extra hurdles. Maybe for that reason, Kittie inspired an intense reaction in the Whisky’s mosh pit, from both men and women.