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) #70 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #107 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #166
2	Lacrimosa 1990, Switzerland Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Elodia (1999) #46 Stille (1997) #75 Echos (2003) #677
3	Paradise Lost 1988, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009) #590 The Plague Within (2015) #813 In Requiem (2007) #917
4	Draconian 1994, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Arcane Rain Fell (2005) #134 Under a Godless Veil (2020) #910 Turning Season Within (2008) #1422
5	Theatre of Tragedy 1993, Norway Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal, Electropop, Industrial Rock	Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) #496 Aégis (1998) #510 Theatre of Tragedy (1995) #2168
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #377 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2113 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3517
7	Dark Lunacy 1997, Italy Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Diarist (2006) #667 Devoid (2000) #1031 Forget Me Not (2003) #1525
8	Xandria 1997, Germany Symphonic Metal	Sacrificium (2014) #993 Neverworld's End (2012) #1315 Fire & Ashes (2015) [EP] #4981
9	Lacrimas Profundere 1993, Germany Gothic Metal, Gothic Rock	La naissance d'un rêve (1997) #817 Memorandum (1999) #1981 Burning: A Wish (2001) #3703
10	Sentenced 1988, Finland Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Crimson (2000) #811 Frozen (1998) #1003 Amok (1995) #1586
11	The Gathering 1989, Netherlands Alternative Rock, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Art Rock, Atmospheric Rock	Nighttime Birds (1997) #1452 Home (2006) #1287 Mandylion (1995) #1222
12	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #430 Scourge of Malice (2001) #635 Engraved in Black (2003) #5557
13	Type O Negative 1990, United States Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Alternative Metal	October Rust (1996) #1449 Bloody Kisses (1993) #4503 Dead Again (2007) #4701
14	Lake of Tears 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal	Forever Autumn (1999) #1221 Moons and Mushrooms (2007) #4061 A Crimson Cosmos (1997) #4912
15	Ophelia 2003, Korea Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Shoegaze	당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010) #181
16	Moonspell 1992, Portugal Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Night Eternal (2008) #3966 Irreligious (1996) #4027 Extinct (2015) #4458
17	HIM 1991, Finland Alternative Rock, Gothic Rock, Hard Rock	Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) #1537 Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 (1997) #2747 RazorBlade Romance (2000) #3874
18	My Dying Bride 1990, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Dreadful Hours (2001) #925 The Angel and the Dark River (1995) #2581 Like Gods of the Sun (1996) #2950
19	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Comalies (2002) #3463 Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single]
20	Sirenia 2001, Norway Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Perils of the Deep Blue (2013) #3382 The Seventh Life Path (2015) #3577 An Elixir for Existence (2004) #4787
21	Novembre 1993, Italy Progressive Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Ursa (2016) #2591 Novembrine Waltz (2001) #3181 Dreams d'Azur (2002) #3537
22	Tristania 1997, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal	Beyond the Veil (1999) #2558 World of Glass (2001) #5077 Illumination (2007) #5126
23	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #716 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1925 Shatter (2010) [EP] #9422
24	Anathema 1990, United Kingdom Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock	Weather Systems (2012) #69 Universal (2013) [Live] #108 Judgement (1999) #405
25	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #1635 The Great Cold Distance (2006) #1672 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1791
26	Green Carnation 1990, Norway Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal	Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001) #791 A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia (2025) #1055 The Acoustic Verses (2006) #3976
27	Tiamat 1989, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Wildhoney (1994) #1239 Prey (2003) #2805 A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997) #4049
28	Before the Dawn 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Rise of the Phoenix (2012) #1798 Cold Flare Eternal (2025) #6292 Deadlight (2007) #7569
29	To/Die/For 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Epilogue (2001) #1520 Wounds Wide Open (2006) #2085 Jaded (2003) #2809
30	Leaves' Eyes 2003, Germany Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal	Njord (2009) #2377 Meredead (2011) #3638 King of Kings (2015)
31	After Forever 1995, Netherlands Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	After Forever (2007) #4496 Invisible Circles (2004) #6698 Decipher (2001) #8455
32	Entwine 1995, Finland Gothic Metal	Time of Despair (2002) #2285 The Treasures Within Hearts (1999) #2991 Painstained (2009) #3245
33	The Sins Of Thy Beloved 1996, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	Lake of Sorrow (1998) #1584 Perpetual Desolation (2000) #9834 All Alone (1997) [EP]
34	Dark the Suns 2005, Finland Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal	All Ends in Silence (2009) #1894 In Darkness Comes Beauty (2007) #5802 Raven and the Nightsky (2023)
35	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #283 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #432 Vessels (2016) #461
36	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1307 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4812 Python Zero (2001)
37	Crematory 1991, Germany Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Death Metal	Act Seven (1999) Illusions (1995) #6436 Awake (1997)
38	Trail of Tears 1997, Norway Gothic Metal, Symphonic Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Bloodstained Endurance (2009) #3892 Disclosure in Red (1998) #3538 Oscillation (2013) #4197
39	Artrosis Poland Melodic Gothic Metal	Ukryty wymiar (1997) #2615 W Imię Nocy (1998) Poœród Kwiatów I Cieni (1999)
40	Tribulation 2004, Sweden Death Metal, Gothic Metal	The Formulas of Death (2013) The Children of the Night (2015) #1590 Down Below (2018) #3762
41	Virgin Black 1995, Australia Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	Requiem - Mezzo Forte (2007) #2340 Requiem - Fortissimo (2008) #6631 Sombre Romantic (2001) #8342
42	Evanescence 1995, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Fallen (2003) #2375 Origin (2000) [Demo] The Open Door (2006) #9104
43	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Evernight (2007) #5862 Sword's Song (2003) #5998 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #6092
44	Charon 1992, Finland Gothic Metal	Tearstained (2000) Downhearted (2002) #2240 Sorrowburn (1998)
45	The Third and the Mortal 1992, Norway Melodic Doom Metal, Experimental, Pop, Industrial	Tears Laid in Earth (1994) #2756 Sorrow (1994) [EP] #6563 Painting on Glass (1996) #6910
46	Within Temptation 1996, Netherlands Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Alternative Rock	Mother Earth (2000) #1225 The Unforgiving (2011) #1180 The Silent Force (2004) #1535
47	Novembers Doom 1992, United States Melodic Doom Metal, Death Metal	Major Arcana (2025) #5433 To Welcome the Fade (2002) #6792 The Knowing (2000)
48	Beseech 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal	My Darkness, Darkness (2016) Black Emotions (2000) Souls Highway (2002)
49	Krypteria 2004, Germany Gothic Metal, Power Metal	Bloodangel's Cry (2007) #4499 Krypteria (2005) #8196 My Fatal Kiss (2009) #8733
50	For My Pain... 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Fallen (2003) #1232 Buried Blue (2026) Killing Romance (2004) [Single]

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