Norwegian alternative metal outfit Glasgow Kiss don’t ease into their new single. They hit with force. “Those Wasted Years”, the first track from their upcoming full-length Down In Flames (December 12, Eclipse Records), locks in a heavy rhythm guitar groove from the outset by giving vocalist Charlotte Marlen Midtun the perfect foundation for her commanding delivery. Her voice is rich, razor-sharp, and addictive and cuts through the riffs with presence and fire.
What makes this track stand out is how it balances weight with motion. The guitars drive relentlessly, but there’s a sense of space in the arrangement that keeps the song dynamic rather than suffocating. Charlotte’s performance elevates it further by leaning into raw emotion without losing clarity or control. It’s a combination that feels both ferocious and finely honed. It’s metal with grit and precision.
The accompanying video, filmed at Bergen’s USF Verftet with director Bård Leite, amplifies that impact.
Charlotte explains,
Music is powerful on its own, but sometimes the emotions and stories we write about deserve to be seen as well as heard.
By shifting between shadowed intensity and brighter warmer visuals, the band extends the song’s atmosphere beyond sound by embodying its moments of tension and release.
If this is the opening shot for Down In Flames, December can’t come soon enough because Glasgow Kiss delivers fierce precision and power with “Those Wasted Years”.
Photo by Agnieszka Iwanska
