Album Review: The Heraldic Universe by Glampire

From the cover, the name and the fact that he also released his previous album around Halloween, you might wonder whether Glampire might be some rip-off of the original glam scene. Glampire's third full album, The Heraldic Universe, walks the line between dark pop and post-teenage angst. The music is a mixture of goth, synth, perky rock beats, and tinges of NIN tonalities. Unfortunately, you'll have to deal with the cheesy '80s-style electric guitar in the opening tracks. Add in Glampire's androgynous voice to the back-to-back songs "Super Sad" and "Happy Again?" and you'll roll your eyes. But in true glam style, he enunciates well and the accompaniment never overpowers his voice, so you can enjoy his entertainingly cynical lyrics with a libertarian slant later in the album. The guy clearly disdains the government; his boyish wails amid spoken commentary in "My Own God," "Love Is a Muscle" and "Lie of the Land" will elicit either sympathy or smirks, depending on your circle. Heck, how else should you react to words like "kill all the stupid people" or "underarm deodorant spray?" The tonal effects are occasionally weird, but most have been done, like the pseudo-chorale in "Build a Machine." Take it tongue in cheek. B