Best Gothic Metal Bands

118 bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Cradle of Filth 1991, United Kingdom Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Cruelty and the Beast (1998) #73 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #139 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #168
2	Lacrimosa 1990, Switzerland Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Elodia (1999) #35 Stille (1997) #65 Echos (2003) #803
3	Paradise Lost 1988, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009) #615 The Plague Within (2015) #755 Tragic Idol (2012) #896
4	Draconian 1994, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Arcane Rain Fell (2005) #126 Under a Godless Veil (2020) #719 Turning Season Within (2008) #1348
5	Theatre of Tragedy 1993, Norway Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal, Electropop, Industrial Rock	Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) #451 Aégis (1998) #720 Theatre of Tragedy (1995) #2065
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #386 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2009 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3248
7	Dark Lunacy 1997, Italy Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Diarist (2006) #636 Devoid (2000) #1110 Forget Me Not (2003) #1394
8	Lacrimas Profundere 1993, Germany Gothic Metal, Gothic Rock	La naissance d'un rêve (1997) #734 Memorandum (1999) #1743 Burning: A Wish (2001) #3192
9	Xandria 1997, Germany Symphonic Metal	Sacrificium (2014) #1064 Neverworld's End (2012) #1334 Fire & Ashes (2015) [EP] #4772
10	The Gathering 1989, Netherlands Alternative Rock, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Art Rock, Atmospheric Rock	Home (2006) #1137 Mandylion (1995) #1169 Nighttime Birds (1997) #1373
11	Sentenced 1988, Finland Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Crimson (2000) #657 Frozen (1998) #1103 The Cold White Light (2002) #1792
12	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #428 Scourge of Malice (2001) #596 Engraved in Black (2003) #5021
13	Ophelia 2003, Korea Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Shoegaze	당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010) #129
14	Type O Negative 1990, United States Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Alternative Metal	October Rust (1996) #860 World Coming Down (1999) #2093 Bloody Kisses (1993) #3208
15	Lake of Tears 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal	Forever Autumn (1999) #1151 Moons and Mushrooms (2007) #3716 A Crimson Cosmos (1997) #4379
16	Moonspell 1992, Portugal Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Night Eternal (2008) #3464 Extinct (2015) #4089 Irreligious (1996) #4377
17	Anathema 1990, United Kingdom Death Doom Metal, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock	Weather Systems (2012) #75 Universal (2013) [Live] #97 Judgement (1999) #301
18	Sirenia 2001, Norway Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Perils of the Deep Blue (2013) #3233 The Seventh Life Path (2015) #3308 An Elixir for Existence (2004) #4268
19	HIM 1991, Finland Alternative Rock, Gothic Rock, Hard Rock	Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) #1903 Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 (1997) #4083 RazorBlade Romance (2000) #4468
20	My Dying Bride 1990, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Dreadful Hours (2001) #972 Turn Loose the Swans (1993) #2570 The Angel and the Dark River (1995) #2816
21	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single] Black Anima (2019) #4030
22	Tristania 1997, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal	Beyond the Veil (1999) #2684 Illumination (2007) #5017 World of Glass (2001) #5618
23	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #643 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1898 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8211
24	Novembre 1993, Italy Progressive Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Ursa (2016) #2455 The Blue (2007) #3642 Materia (2006) #4482
25	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #1007 The Great Cold Distance (2006) #1761 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1891
26	Tiamat 1989, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Wildhoney (1994) #1467 A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997) #3705 Prey (2003) #3808
27	To/Die/For 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Epilogue (2001) #1826 Wounds Wide Open (2006) #2611 Jaded (2003) #2629
28	Before the Dawn 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Rise of the Phoenix (2012) #1520 Deadlight (2007) #6950 Deathstar Rising (2011) #7115
29	Dark the Suns 2005, Finland Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal	All Ends in Silence (2009) #1835 Suru raivosi sydämeni pimeydessä (2021) In Darkness Comes Beauty (2007) #4904
30	Leaves' Eyes 2003, Germany Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal	Njord (2009) #2030 Meredead (2011) #3280 King of Kings (2015)
31	After Forever 1995, Netherlands Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	After Forever (2007) #4061 Invisible Circles (2004) #5911 Remagine (2005) #7231
32	The Sins Of Thy Beloved 1996, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	Lake of Sorrow (1998) #1530 Perpetual Desolation (2000) #8480 All Alone (1997) [EP]
33	Entwine 1995, Finland Gothic Metal	Time of Despair (2002) #2157 The Treasures Within Hearts (1999) #2287 Painstained (2009)
34	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #310 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #413 Vessels (2016) #420
35	Crematory 1991, Germany Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Death Metal	Awake (1997) Act Seven (1999) Believe (2000)
36	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1078 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4114 Python Zero (2001)
37	Green Carnation 1990, Norway Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal	Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001) #886 The Acoustic Verses (2006) #3688 A Blessing in Disguise (2003)
38	Artrosis Poland Melodic Gothic Metal	Ukryty wymiar (1997) #2380 W Imię Nocy (1998) Poœród Kwiatów I Cieni (1999)
39	Evanescence 1995, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Fallen (2003) #2237 Origin (2000) [Demo] The Open Door (2006) #8031
40	Charon 1992, Finland Gothic Metal	Tearstained (2000) Downhearted (2002) #2122 Sorrowburn (1998)
41	The Third and the Mortal 1992, Norway Melodic Doom Metal, Experimental, Pop, Industrial	Tears Laid in Earth (1994) #1952 Painting on Glass (1996) #6748 Sorrow (1994) [EP] #6842
42	Trail of Tears 1997, Norway Gothic Metal, Symphonic Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Disclosure in Red (1998) Bloodstained Endurance (2009) #3579 Oscillation (2013) #3972
43	Virgin Black 1995, Australia Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	Requiem - Mezzo Forte (2007) #2859 Requiem - Fortissimo (2008) #5857 Sombre Romantic (2001)
44	Krypteria 2004, Germany Gothic Metal, Power Metal	Bloodangel's Cry (2007) #4129 Krypteria (2005) #6724 My Fatal Kiss (2009) #7779
45	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Sword's Song (2003) #3897 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4385 Evernight (2007) #5679
46	Dreams of Sanity 1991, Austria Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Game (2000) #5242 Masquerade (1999) #5346 Komodia (1997) #6481
47	Penumbra 1996, France Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Last Bewitchment (2002) #5883 Seclusion (2003) #6775 Eden (2023)
48	Beseech 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal	Black Emotions (2000) Souls Highway (2002) Drama (2004)
49	Within Temptation 1996, Netherlands Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Alternative Rock	The Unforgiving (2011) #1223 Mother Earth (2000) #1268 The Silent Force (2004) #1680
50	Moonshine 1996, Korea Gothic Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Wake Up the Moon (2001) #1959 Eternal (2008) #5659 Songs of Requiem (2005) #7598

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