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) #69 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #112 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #155
2	Lacrimosa 1990, Switzerland Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Elodia (1999) #45 Stille (1997) #75 Echos (2003) #769
3	Paradise Lost 1988, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009) #587 The Plague Within (2015) #806 In Requiem (2007) #868
4	Draconian 1994, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Arcane Rain Fell (2005) #140 Under a Godless Veil (2020) #758 Turning Season Within (2008) #1417
5	Theatre of Tragedy 1993, Norway Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal, Electropop, Industrial Rock	Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) #478 Aégis (1998) #716 Theatre of Tragedy (1995) #2144
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #367 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2092 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3476
7	Dark Lunacy 1997, Italy Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Diarist (2006) #657 Devoid (2000) #1020 Forget Me Not (2003) #1326
8	Lacrimas Profundere 1993, Germany Gothic Metal, Gothic Rock	La naissance d'un rêve (1997) #779 Memorandum (1999) #1812 Burning: A Wish (2001) #3407
9	Xandria 1997, Germany Symphonic Metal	Sacrificium (2014) #1127 Neverworld's End (2012) #1380 Fire & Ashes (2015) [EP] #4843
10	The Gathering 1989, Netherlands Alternative Rock, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Art Rock, Atmospheric Rock	Home (2006) #1175 Mandylion (1995) #1211 Nighttime Birds (1997) #1443
11	Sentenced 1988, Finland Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Frozen (1998) #678 Crimson (2000) #803 Amok (1995) #1571
12	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #423 Scourge of Malice (2001) #629 Engraved in Black (2003) #5412
13	Type O Negative 1990, United States Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Alternative Metal	October Rust (1996) #913 Bloody Kisses (1993) #3426 Dead Again (2007) #4599
14	Ophelia 2003, Korea Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Shoegaze	당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010) #174
15	Lake of Tears 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal	Forever Autumn (1999) #1210 Moons and Mushrooms (2007) #3977 A Crimson Cosmos (1997) #4706
16	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Comalies (2002) #3693 Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single]
17	Moonspell 1992, Portugal Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Night Eternal (2008) #3887 Extinct (2015) #4373 Irreligious (1996) #4704
18	HIM 1991, Finland Alternative Rock, Gothic Rock, Hard Rock	Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) #2134 Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 (1997) #4366 RazorBlade Romance (2000) #4690
19	My Dying Bride 1990, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Dreadful Hours (2001) #1019 The Angel and the Dark River (1995) #3002 Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (2004) #3049
20	Tristania 1997, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal	Beyond the Veil (1999) #2535 Illumination (2007) #5404 World of Glass (2001) #6042
21	Sirenia 2001, Norway Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Perils of the Deep Blue (2013) #3337 The Seventh Life Path (2015) #3542 An Elixir for Existence (2004) #4398
22	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #669 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1800 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8862
23	Anathema 1990, United Kingdom Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock	Weather Systems (2012) #68 Universal (2013) [Live] #109 Judgement (1999) #398
24	Novembre 1993, Italy Progressive Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Ursa (2016) #2562 Classica (1999) #3816 Novembrine Waltz (2001) #6364
25	Tiamat 1989, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Wildhoney (1994) #1209 Prey (2003) #2769 A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997) #3969
26	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #1623 The Great Cold Distance (2006) #1675 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1957
27	Before the Dawn 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Rise of the Phoenix (2012) #1801 Deadlight (2007) #7144 Deathstar Rising (2011) #7680
28	To/Die/For 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Epilogue (2001) #1885 Wounds Wide Open (2006) #2065 Jaded (2003) #2777
29	Leaves' Eyes 2003, Germany Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal	Njord (2009) #2110 Meredead (2011) #3597 King of Kings (2015)
30	Entwine 1995, Finland Gothic Metal	Time of Despair (2002) #2264 The Treasures Within Hearts (1999) #2209 Painstained (2009) #3208
31	After Forever 1995, Netherlands Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	After Forever (2007) #4409 Invisible Circles (2004) #6371 Remagine (2005) #7816
32	Dark the Suns 2005, Finland Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal	All Ends in Silence (2009) #1897 Suru raivosi sydämeni pimeydessä (2021) In Darkness Comes Beauty (2007) #5597
33	The Sins Of Thy Beloved 1996, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	Lake of Sorrow (1998) #1581 Perpetual Desolation (2000) #9138 All Alone (1997) [EP]
34	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #314 Vessels (2016) #414 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #453
35	Green Carnation 1990, Norway Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal	Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001) #677 The Acoustic Verses (2006) #3900 A Blessing in Disguise (2003)
36	Crematory 1991, Germany Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Death Metal	Act Seven (1999) Illusions (1995) #6148 Awake (1997)
37	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1107 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4399 Python Zero (2001)
38	Artrosis Poland Melodic Gothic Metal	Ukryty wymiar (1997) #2480 W Imię Nocy (1998) Poœród Kwiatów I Cieni (1999)
39	Evanescence 1995, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Fallen (2003) #2345 Origin (2000) [Demo] The Open Door (2006) #8556
40	The Third and the Mortal 1992, Norway Melodic Doom Metal, Experimental, Pop, Industrial	Tears Laid in Earth (1994) #2263 Painting on Glass (1996) #7263 Sorrow (1994) [EP] #7366
41	Tribulation 2004, Sweden Death Metal, Gothic Metal	The Formulas of Death (2013) The Children of the Night (2015) #1577 Down Below (2018) #3705
42	Charon 1992, Finland Gothic Metal	Tearstained (2000) Downhearted (2002) #2213 Sorrowburn (1998)
43	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Sword's Song (2003) #5414 Evernight (2007) #5647 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4713
44	Trail of Tears 1997, Norway Gothic Metal, Symphonic Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Disclosure in Red (1998) #3195 Bloodstained Endurance (2009) #3829 Oscillation (2013) #4109
45	Beseech 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal	My Darkness, Darkness (2016) Black Emotions (2000) Souls Highway (2002)
46	Virgin Black 1995, Australia Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	Requiem - Mezzo Forte (2007) #3051 Requiem - Fortissimo (2008) #6321 Sombre Romantic (2001)
47	Krypteria 2004, Germany Gothic Metal, Power Metal	Bloodangel's Cry (2007) #4413 Krypteria (2005) #7241 My Fatal Kiss (2009) #8204
48	Dreams of Sanity 1991, Austria Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Game (2000) #5644 Masquerade (1999) #5769 Komodia (1997) #6981
49	Penumbra 1996, France Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Last Bewitchment (2002) #6349 Seclusion (2003) #7296 Eden (2023)
50	Within Temptation 1996, Netherlands Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Alternative Rock	The Unforgiving (2011) #1118 Mother Earth (2000) #1346 The Silent Force (2004) #1589

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