X-Ray Arcade hosted an evening of gothic vibrations Friday night with Milwaukee acts Glass Seraph, Destros and Faketwin alongside Chicago-based Iron Years and Lincoln, Nebraska-based Plack Blague.

Glass Seraph is the duo of singer-songwriter Vivie and producer Tombo, although Vivie typically performs solo. Their sound could be described as dreamy, gothic pop. Friday was Vivie’s second performance; their first had been on the New Year at Jazz Gallery.

“I’ve been writing lyrics and poetry pretty much since I can remember,” Vivie said about Glass Seraph’s origins. “Me and Tombo have been friends since we were 16, and one day I wanted to record and had texted them saying hey, and they said “let’s make a song today” – never have we ever made music together or have I hit them up on something like that so they were definitely feeling the energy that day. We ended up recording two songs.”

Vivie cites their friend KANGA as a major influence of theirs. “I text her all the time when I’m feeling lost,” they elaborate. “Seeing her perform and produce onstage by herself and carrying the show really pushed me to have it in me to perform.”

Glass Seraph put out a three-song EP titled “Demo” last August. Describing their lyrical process and what they are currently working on, Vivie shares, “A lot of times I’ll be writing words to the beat as Tombo is making the production. My lyrics I wouldn’t say are super esoteric or anything but they’re not typical love songs either. I’ve been trying to write for Glass Seraph lately and just haven’t been in the right headspace; a lot of times I just have to be in the studio for it to come to me. Tombo is always super busy but we talk a lot, and I think that the most recent song we’ve made is production-wise where I see the project going.”

Vivie concludes by putting it, “It’s weird to feel so scared to do what you’ve wanted to do your whole life. But I’m proud of myself. I can’t thank Tombo enough for believing in me; they normally do a lot of R&B stuff but what we’re doing is not like anything they’ve done before.”

Glass Seraph plays Cactus Club on April 1st.

Faketwin consists of vocalist Anna Fortune, guitarist Casey Harris and bassist Andy Worzella; they formerly had drummer Sean Hanley but now play with a drum machine. Stylistically, the band incorporates elements of noise, industrial and experimental rock.

Formed during COVID, Faketwin originated out of Harris and Worzella jamming. “Me, Andy and Sean worked together at the Anodyne coffee warehouse at the time,” Harris explains. “The Anodyne owner started letting us practice on the stage there; it was just something for us to drink beers and do because nothing else was happening. We fleshed out a couple songs, and Anna and I had been in Suffer Head together and I thought she’d fit in perfectly so I called her up, and we just kept going from there.”

Hanley had coined the band’s name. “I suggested “Poundgarden” but nobody liked that one,” Harris laughs.

Fortune shares about her lyrics, “During lockdown I was reading a lot of tarot so there’s a lot of mysticism and also a lot of political themes. There’s a darkness to the music that I really enjoy.”

Faketwin released their debut album “Faith and Desecration” on Halloween in 2021, then had their first show at Anodyne for “Bean Plant” festival in September 2022. They recently recorded a few more songs that they’re still figuring out what to do with. “We’re not sure if we’ll do videos or just release them here and there, but we definitely plan to keep cranking out more,” Harris said.

The band plays PRF Thundersnow up in the UP this weekend, then at Last Rites on February 23rd.