Best Gothic Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Cradle of Filth 1991, United Kingdom Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Cruelty and the Beast (1998) #67 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #115 Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay (2017) #169
2	Lacrimosa 1990, Switzerland Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Elodia (1999) #30 Stille (1997) #60 Echos (2003) #765
3	Within Temptation 1996, Netherlands Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Alternative Rock	The Unforgiving (2011) #1100 Mother Earth (2000) #1363 The Silent Force (2004) #1592
4	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #912 Discouraged Ones (1998) #1381 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1530
5	Paradise Lost 1988, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Gothic (1991) #960 Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009) #1000 In Requiem (2007) #1017
6	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #399 Scourge of Malice (2001) #729 Engraved in Black (2003) #4797
7	Estatic Fear 1994, Austria Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	A Sombre Dance (1999) #143 Somnium Obmutum (1996) #1093
8	Draconian 1994, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Arcane Rain Fell (2005) #127 Under a Godless Veil (2020) #684 Turning Season Within (2008) #1030
9	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #416 Vessels (2016) #423 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #680
10	Theatre of Tragedy 1993, Norway Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal, Electropop, Industrial Rock	Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) #566 Aégis (1998) #739 Theatre of Tragedy (1995) #3115
11	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #421 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #1766 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #2844
12	The Gathering 1989, Netherlands Alternative Rock, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Art Rock, Atmospheric Rock	Home (2006) #1151 Mandylion (1995) #1190 Nighttime Birds (1997) #1371
13	Dark Lunacy 1997, Italy Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Diarist (2006) #701 Devoid (2000) #948 Forget Me Not (2003) #1382
14	Sentenced 1988, Finland Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Crimson (2000) #703 Frozen (1998) #881 The Cold White Light (2002) #1329
15	My Dying Bride 1990, United Kingdom Death Doom Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal	The Dreadful Hours (2001) #1269 The Angel and the Dark River (1995) #2790 Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (2004) #3170
16	Lacrimas Profundere 1993, Germany Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	La naissance d'un rêve (1997) #752 Memorandum (1999) #1610 Burning: A Wish (2001) #3114
17	Ophelia 2003, Korea Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Shoegaze	당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010) #108
18	Type O Negative 1989, United States Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Alternative Metal	October Rust (1996) #578 Bloody Kisses (1993) #1678 World Coming Down (1999) #1997
19	Tiamat 1989, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Wildhoney (1994) #1149 A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997) #1637 Prey (2003) #3669
20	Moonspell 1992, Portugal Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Night Eternal (2008) #1877 Extinct (2015) #3486 Irreligious (1996) #4062
21	Empyrium 1994, Germany Dark Folk, Neofolk, Folk Metal, Doom Metal, Symphonic Metal, Neoclassical Darkwave, Gothic Metal	Songs of Moors and Misty Fields (1997) #1816 A Wintersunset... (1996) #2076 Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays (1999) #2806
22	Novembre 1993, Italy Progressive Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Ursa (2016) #2190 The Blue (2007) #2417 Materia (2006) #2793
23	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Comalies (2002) #2531 Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single]
24	Rotting Christ 1987, Greece Melodic Black Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Their Greatest Spells (2018) [Compilation] Thy Mighty Contract (1993) #1624 Theogonia (2007) #3140
25	Lake of Tears 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal	Forever Autumn (1999) #1870 A Crimson Cosmos (1997) #3927 Moons and Mushrooms (2007) #4303
26	Dark Sanctuary 1996, France Neoclassical Darkwave, Gothic Metal	Royaume Mélancolique (1999) #927 Funeral Cry (1998) [Single] De lumière et d'obscurité (2000) #3473
27	Sirenia 2001, Norway Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	The Seventh Life Path (2015) #2998 Perils of the Deep Blue (2013) #3157 An Elixir for Existence (2004) #4109
28	Tribulation 2004, Sweden Death Metal, Gothic Metal	The Formulas of Death (2013) The Children of the Night (2015) #2098 Down Below (2018) #4017
29	Tristania 1997, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal	Beyond the Veil (1999) #2930 Illumination (2007) #4792 World of Glass (2001) #5375
30	Moonshine 1996, Korea Gothic Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Wake Up the Moon (2001) #1729 Eternal (2008) #5077 Songs of Requiem (2005) #7246
31	To/Die/For 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Epilogue (2001) #1599 Wounds Wide Open (2006) #1973 All Eternity (2000) #2481
32	Cemetary Finland Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Last Confessions (1997) Sweetest Tragedies (1999) An Evil Shade of Grey (1992) #1956
33	Before the Dawn 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Rise of the Phoenix (2012) #1491 My Darkness (2003) Deadlight (2007) #6637
34	Catamenia 1995, Finland Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Chaos Born (2003) #3070 Eternal Winter's Prophecy (2000) #5710 Halls of Frozen North (1998) #6710
35	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1001 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4071 Python Zero (2001)
36	The Sins Of Thy Beloved 1996, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	Lake of Sorrow (1998) #1258 Perpetual Desolation (2000) #7549 All Alone (1997) [EP]
37	Green Carnation 1990, Norway Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal	Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001) #969 The Acoustic Verses (2006) #3564 A Blessing in Disguise (2003)
38	Leaves' Eyes 2003, Germany Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal	Njord (2009) #2248 Meredead (2011) #3198 King of Kings (2015)
39	Dark the Suns 2005, Finland Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal	All Ends in Silence (2009) #1327 Suru raivosi sydämeni pimeydessä (2021) In Darkness Comes Beauty (2007) #4670
40	Entwine 1995, Finland Gothic Metal	The Treasures Within Hearts (1999) #1933 Time of Despair (2002) #2146 Painstained (2009) #2968
41	After Forever 1995, Netherlands Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	After Forever (2007) #3889 Invisible Circles (2004) #5678 Remagine (2005) #6897
42	Novembers Doom 1992, United States Death Doom Metal, Gothic Metal	To Welcome the Fade (2002) #4456 The Pale Haunt Departure (2005) #5783 The Knowing (2000)
43	Crematory 1991, Germany Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Death Metal	Awake (1997) Act Seven (1999) Believe (2000)
44	Funeral 1991, Norway Funeral Doom Metal, Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Tristese (1994) #2896 Tragedies (1995) #3139 From These Wounds (2006)
45	Elegeion 1997, Australia Atmospheric Doom Metal, Gothic Metal	Through the Eyes of Regret (2001) #1539 The Last Moment (2005) #4962 Induction to Eternal Rest... (1996) [Demo]
46	Virgin Black 1995, Australia Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	Requiem - Mezzo Forte (2007) #1483 Requiem - Fortissimo (2008) #5619 Sombre Romantic (2001)
47	Trail of Tears 1997, Norway Gothic Metal, Symphonic Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Disclosure in Red (1998) Bloodstained Endurance (2009) #3478 Oscillation (2013) #3823
48	Krypteria 2004, Germany Gothic Metal, Power Metal	Bloodangel's Cry (2007) #4798 Krypteria (2005) #6423 My Fatal Kiss (2009) #7439
49	Theatres des Vampires 1994, Italy Gothic metal	Moonlight Waltz (2011) #4514 Anima Noir (2008) #5768 Nosferatu, eine Simphonie des Grauens (1995) [Demo]
50	A Dream of Poe 2005, Portugal Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Mirror of Deliverance (2011) #7653 Lady of Shalott (2010) [EP] An Infinity Emerged (2015) #7901

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