Best Gothic Metal Bands

120 bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Cradle of Filth 1991, United Kingdom Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Cruelty and the Beast (1998) #71 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #118 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #173
2	Lacrimosa 1990, Switzerland Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Elodia (1999) #34 Stille (1997) #67 Echos (2003) #680
3	Paradise Lost 1988, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009) #625 The Plague Within (2015) #776 In Requiem (2007) #826
4	Draconian 1994, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Arcane Rain Fell (2005) #132 Under a Godless Veil (2020) #727 Turning Season Within (2008) #1356
5	Theatre of Tragedy 1993, Norway Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal, Electropop, Industrial Rock	Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) #457 Aégis (1998) #728 Theatre of Tragedy (1995) #2082
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #397 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2022 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3309
7	Dark Lunacy 1997, Italy Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Diarist (2006) #647 Devoid (2000) #1124 Forget Me Not (2003) #1410
8	Lacrimas Profundere 1993, Germany Gothic Metal, Gothic Rock	La naissance d'un rêve (1997) #745 Memorandum (1999) #1747 Burning: A Wish (2001) #3249
9	Xandria 1997, Germany Symphonic Metal	Sacrificium (2014) #1081 Neverworld's End (2012) #1343 Fire & Ashes (2015) [EP] #4860
10	The Gathering 1989, Netherlands Alternative Rock, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Art Rock, Atmospheric Rock	Home (2006) #1153 Mandylion (1995) #1181 Nighttime Birds (1997) #1387
11	Sentenced 1988, Finland Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Frozen (1998) #660 Crimson (2000) #668 The Cold White Light (2002) #1372
12	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #439 Scourge of Malice (2001) #608 Engraved in Black (2003) #5135
13	Ophelia 2003, Korea Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Shoegaze	당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010) #137
14	Type O Negative 1990, United States Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Alternative Metal	October Rust (1996) #879 World Coming Down (1999) #2113 Bloody Kisses (1993) #3269
15	Lake of Tears 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal	Forever Autumn (1999) #1164 Moons and Mushrooms (2007) #3769 A Crimson Cosmos (1997) #4453
16	Moonspell 1992, Portugal Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Night Eternal (2008) #3623 Extinct (2015) #4159 Irreligious (1996) #4451
17	Anathema 1990, United Kingdom Death Doom Metal, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock	Weather Systems (2012) #65 Universal (2013) [Live] #99 Judgement (1999) #313
18	Sirenia 2001, Norway Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Perils of the Deep Blue (2013) #3293 The Seventh Life Path (2015) #3368 An Elixir for Existence (2004) #4326
19	HIM 1991, Finland Alternative Rock, Gothic Rock, Hard Rock	Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) #1915 Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 (1997) #4152 RazorBlade Romance (2000) #4545
20	My Dying Bride 1990, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Dreadful Hours (2001) #990 Turn Loose the Swans (1993) #2593 The Angel and the Dark River (1995) #2860
21	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single] Black Anima (2019) #4092
22	Tristania 1997, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal	Beyond the Veil (1999) #2716 Illumination (2007) #5130 World of Glass (2001) #5734
23	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #651 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1910 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8386
24	Novembre 1993, Italy Progressive Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Ursa (2016) #2478 The Blue (2007) #3697 Materia (2006) #4561
25	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #1027 The Great Cold Distance (2006) #1580 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1903
26	Tiamat 1989, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Wildhoney (1994) #1486 Prey (2003) #1692 A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997) #3760
27	To/Die/For 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Epilogue (2001) #1836 Wounds Wide Open (2006) #2004 Jaded (2003) #2656
28	Before the Dawn 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Rise of the Phoenix (2012) #1543 Deadlight (2007) #7085 Deathstar Rising (2011) #7252
29	Leaves' Eyes 2003, Germany Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal	Njord (2009) #2042 Meredead (2011) #3339 King of Kings (2015)
30	Dark the Suns 2005, Finland Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal	All Ends in Silence (2009) #1849 Suru raivosi sydämeni pimeydessä (2021) In Darkness Comes Beauty (2007) #5001
31	After Forever 1995, Netherlands Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	After Forever (2007) #4130 Invisible Circles (2004) #6033 Remagine (2005) #7376
32	The Sins Of Thy Beloved 1996, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	Lake of Sorrow (1998) #1550 Perpetual Desolation (2000) #8647 All Alone (1997) [EP]
33	Entwine 1995, Finland Gothic Metal	Time of Despair (2002) #2181 The Treasures Within Hearts (1999) #2305 Painstained (2009)
34	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #322 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #413 Vessels (2016) #430
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) #1096 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4184 Python Zero (2001)
37	Green Carnation 1990, Norway Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal	Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001) #903 The Acoustic Verses (2006) #3745 A Blessing in Disguise (2003)
38	Artrosis Poland Melodic Gothic Metal	Ukryty wymiar (1997) #2397 W Imię Nocy (1998) Poœród Kwiatów I Cieni (1999)
39	Evanescence 1995, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Fallen (2003) #2256 Origin (2000) [Demo] The Open Door (2006) #8197
40	Charon 1992, Finland Gothic Metal	Tearstained (2000) Downhearted (2002) #2139 Sorrowburn (1998)
41	The Third and the Mortal 1992, Norway Melodic Doom Metal, Experimental, Pop, Industrial	Tears Laid in Earth (1994) #1966 Painting on Glass (1996) #6880 Sorrow (1994) [EP] #6978
42	Trail of Tears 1997, Norway Gothic Metal, Symphonic Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Disclosure in Red (1998) Bloodstained Endurance (2009) #3641 Oscillation (2013) #4034
43	Virgin Black 1995, Australia Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	Requiem - Mezzo Forte (2007) #2902 Requiem - Fortissimo (2008) #5984 Sombre Romantic (2001)
44	Krypteria 2004, Germany Gothic Metal, Power Metal	Bloodangel's Cry (2007) #4197 Krypteria (2005) #6861 My Fatal Kiss (2009) #7942
45	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Sword's Song (2003) #3960 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4460 Evernight (2007) #5808
46	Dreams of Sanity 1991, Austria Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Game (2000) #5346 Masquerade (1999) #5454 Komodia (1997) #6615
47	Penumbra 1996, France Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Last Bewitchment (2002) #6005 Seclusion (2003) #6907 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) #1237 Mother Earth (2000) #1285 The Silent Force (2004) #1627
50	Moonshine 1996, Korea Gothic Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Wake Up the Moon (2001) #1976 Eternal (2008) #5785 Songs of Requiem (2005) #7743

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