Gothic Metal

What are some of people's favorite gothic metal bands or albums? I don't mean symphonic metal bands which are an offshoot of gothic metal but are not what I consider gothic metal. I mean bands that have a dark and melodic sound that spawned from death/doom and is not overly bombastic. Theatre Of Tragedy could fit the bill though I'd count them as doom/death but bands like Epica and After Forever don't. Evanecence and Saviour Machine really doesn't fit the bill either because they have more of a goth rock influence like Sisters Of Mercy, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Dead Artist Syndrome, etc. Gothic metal bands members are not part of the goth subculture (most goths abhor gothic metal-too "crude and macho") but look like your typical metal fan. My list of favorite albums should give an idea of what I mean:






Other bands included could be The Gathering (though I personally wouldn't consider them because they aren't quite heavy enough), Lacuna Coil (who I'm not a huge fan of), Poisonblack (which are on my wantlist), etc. This thread will also help me discover other bands in this vein that I can further explore. I want more Mortal Love but most of their stuff is only availiable as imports.

In addition to the ones you've mentioned above:

The 69 Eyes
To/Die/For
Penumbra
HIM (to a lesser extent)

Also, if you don't already have Sentenced last album "The Funeral Album", I'd highly recommend it.

Love gothic metal. However, I prefer the symphonic/power stuff. Epica, Leaves' Eyes, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Forever Slave, Lacuna Coil. These are all some of my favorite bands.

But out of the more crude gothic metal stuff, I'd say:

Paradise Lost
The 69 Eyes
Type O Negative
Penumbra

If you've not heard Penumbra, you really need to check them out!!!

Does latter day Katatonia count? I like them.

I saw to/die/for live in beirut during the rock festival. Very good band.

My fav band is Sisters of Mercy. This is old school gothic.

When it comes to Gothic Metal, there is My Dying Bride, and then there is everyone else.

Gilbert wrote:

I saw to/die/for live in beirut during the rock festival. Very good band.

My fav band is Sisters of Mercy. This is old school gothic.

I freekin love The Sisters of Mercy. They are one of my all time favorite bands. They're not metal though ... they're gothic rock.

I dont consider Sentenced or Crematory goth, but thats just my opinion. Crematory is one of my favorite bands and they are pretty much just a great metal band as is Sentenced.

I know they are catagorized under Goth but they sound nothing like most bands under that genre. If so they would be my favs...

Huge fan....

Here are a couple for now...I'll post more later




Dark - Seduction....breathtaking songwriting and atmosphere, one of the best things I own. Similar sound to mid-period Dark Tranquillity in some ways, eschewing a lot of more traditional song structure and rhythm, but not bogged down by the melo-death idiom. There are death growls which are slightly melodic at times, rough clean vocals, low true clean vocals a'la the Sisters, and the occasional female voice, sometimes all in the same song. Every song is tragic, romantic, and lacking cheese. Here's two favorites to sink in:








Darkseed - Diving into Darkness...Something amazing for the few who enjoyed the experimental leanings of Paradise Lost but wouldn't mind if they went more in the Depeche Mode direction as well as further recalling their roots. This album is a barrel of hulking, sorrowful songwriting gold. The electronics used are perfect in atmosphere and execution, and the abundance of classic metal styled leads help put the icing on the cake. This one has been with me a long time and this is one of my favorite bands.







I second 'October Rust' as well, though it comes in after these two and 'Rage For Order'.

I love Mortal Love, Tristania, Draconian, The Sins Of Thy Beloved, Closterkeller, The Sisters Of Mercy, Siouxise And The Banshees, The 69 Eyes, Paradise Lost etc.
My overall fave has to be Tristania they are like the gothic metal gods in my opinion!

Do The 69 Eyes count as gothic metal? I've always just stuck with their goth n' roll tag as it seems most fitting. They're a good band either way. I'm also a big Type O Negative fan, love their stuff - Bloody Kisses is probably one of my most played albums.

I've always had a bit of a love / hate thing for HIM. I like them, but they annoy me which makes no sense. Still, albums like Love Metal and Venus Doom are great stuff.

the 69 eyes are a very good band. I love their music.

I hate seeing Amorphis, Sentenced and Paradise Lost on that list...but I'm too tired to debate it.

Amorphis have surfed accross various styles.

Not Goth! Gothic metal! I thought I made it clear in my post what I meant. There seems to be some genre confusion going on here. Although they have crossed over in recent years they all stem from separate backgrounds. While I like some goth most of it doesn't interest me, gothic metal is a favorite of mine and includes bands like later Sentenced, current Amoprhis, and Paradise Lost. Gothic metal is an offshoot of doom while goth rock has it's roots in punk. Most gothic metal bands dislike goth rock and vice versa.

You really consider current Amorphis to be gothic metal? I'd beg to differ.

It doesn't matter though. No one is ever going to agree 100% with anyone regarding genres.

We all see things through the metal glasses that we wear individually. It's never worth an argument.

So I just let such things go ...

Metallic Blaze wrote:

You really consider current Amorphis to be gothic metal? I'd beg to differ.

I'd say it definatly has some gothic metal qualities to it. I'd say it's dark progressive metal but to my ears it fits the mold.

Apparently I'm not the only one that consiers the current Amoprhis to fall under gothic metal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gothic_metal_bands

AraPacis and Delian gothic metal? *dies laughing*

DallasBlack wrote:

Not Goth! Gothic metal! I thought I made it clear in my post what I meant. There seems to be some genre confusion going on here. Although they have crossed over in recent years they all stem from separate backgrounds. While I like some goth most of it doesn't interest me, gothic metal is a favorite of mine and includes bands like later Sentenced, current Amoprhis, and Paradise Lost. Gothic metal is an offshoot of doom while goth rock has it's roots in punk. Most gothic metal bands dislike goth rock and vice versa.

It's not really that clear considering you're grouping bands like Type O Negative with the likes of Amorphis - Type O have just as many roots in punk as they do in doom, thus making them neither quite goth rock or goth metal by your definition. That's at least where my confusion has come from.

I edited that list I took all the none goth metal bands out like:

- Delian
- AraPacis
- Atrocity
- Leaves' Eyes
- Evanescence

Smindas wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

Not Goth! Gothic metal! I thought I made it clear in my post what I meant. There seems to be some genre confusion going on here. Although they have crossed over in recent years they all stem from separate backgrounds. While I like some goth most of it doesn't interest me, gothic metal is a favorite of mine and includes bands like later Sentenced, current Amoprhis, and Paradise Lost. Gothic metal is an offshoot of doom while goth rock has it's roots in punk. Most gothic metal bands dislike goth rock and vice versa.

It's not really that clear considering you're grouping bands like Type O Negative with the likes of Amorphis - Type O have just as many roots in punk as they do in doom, thus making them neither quite goth rock or goth metal by your definition. That's at least where my confusion has come from.

You're right and I wasn't sure I should have put them up there because of that. Because Sabbath was such a big influence on them (i.e. doom) I put them up there. I should have left them off of which I am now sure.

and off the thread goes into teh abysses.

Amorphis contains nothing resembling properties of anything 'gothic', although Sentenced and especially Paradise Lost do, and I made a contributing post.

That is all.

Note to self: When seeking band recommendations, just ask for bands that sound like Band X, Band Y and Band Z. Let the genre Nazis try to classify the sound.

I'm not sure I really even know what Goth metal is. And I think I'm even less aware after listening to the linked songs and reading this thread.