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) #74 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #112 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #154
2	Lacrimosa 1990, Switzerland Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Elodia (1999) #43 Stille (1997) #73 Echos (2003) #754
3	Paradise Lost 1988, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009) #582 The Plague Within (2015) #791 In Requiem (2007) #852
4	Draconian 1994, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal	Arcane Rain Fell (2005) #139 Under a Godless Veil (2020) #744 Turning Season Within (2008) #1397
5	Theatre of Tragedy 1993, Norway Gothic Metal, Death Doom Metal, Electropop, Industrial Rock	Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) #466 Aégis (1998) #707 Theatre of Tragedy (1995) #2131
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #365 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2074 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3435
7	Dark Lunacy 1997, Italy Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Diarist (2006) #653 Devoid (2000) #1007 Forget Me Not (2003) #1307
8	Lacrimas Profundere 1993, Germany Gothic Metal, Gothic Rock	La naissance d'un rêve (1997) #764 Memorandum (1999) #1795 Burning: A Wish (2001) #3367
9	Xandria 1997, Germany Symphonic Metal	Sacrificium (2014) #1089 Neverworld's End (2012) #1383 Fire & Ashes (2015) [EP] #5063
10	Sentenced 1988, Finland Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Frozen (1998) #673 Crimson (2000) #788 The Cold White Light (2002) #1627
11	The Gathering 1989, Netherlands Alternative Rock, Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Art Rock, Atmospheric Rock	Home (2006) #1166 Mandylion (1995) #1200 Nighttime Birds (1997) #1424
12	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #418 Scourge of Malice (2001) #629 Engraved in Black (2003) #5346
13	Type O Negative 1990, United States Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Alternative Metal	October Rust (1996) #909 Bloody Kisses (1993) #3383 Dead Again (2007) #4523
14	Ophelia 2003, Korea Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Shoegaze	당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010) #145
15	Lake of Tears 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal	Forever Autumn (1999) #1198 Moons and Mushrooms (2007) #3921 A Crimson Cosmos (1997) #4624
16	Moonspell 1992, Portugal Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Night Eternal (2008) #3755 Extinct (2015) #4310 Irreligious (1996) #4621
17	HIM 1991, Finland Alternative Rock, Gothic Rock, Hard Rock	Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) #2118 Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 (1997) #4302 RazorBlade Romance (2000) #4609
18	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single] Black Anima (2019) #4233
19	My Dying Bride 1990, United Kingdom Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	The Dreadful Hours (2001) #1006 The Angel and the Dark River (1995) #2959 Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (2004) #3006
20	Anathema 1990, United Kingdom Death Doom Metal, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock	Weather Systems (2012) #68 Universal (2013) [Live] #113 Judgement (1999) #392
21	Tristania 1997, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal	Beyond the Veil (1999) #2510 Illumination (2007) #5340 World of Glass (2001) #5961
22	Sirenia 2001, Norway Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	Perils of the Deep Blue (2013) #3412 The Seventh Life Path (2015) #3506 An Elixir for Existence (2004) #4333
23	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #663 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1805 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8740
24	Novembre 1993, Italy Progressive Gothic Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal	Ursa (2016) #2538 Classica (1999) #3769 The Blue (2007) #3849
25	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #1046 The Great Cold Distance (2006) #1585 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1945
26	Tiamat 1989, Sweden Gothic Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Wildhoney (1994) #1518 Prey (2003) #1732 A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997) #3913
27	To/Die/For 1999, Finland Gothic Metal	Epilogue (2001) #1876 Wounds Wide Open (2006) #2048 Jaded (2003) #2749
28	Before the Dawn 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal	Rise of the Phoenix (2012) #1573 Deadlight (2007) #7395 Deathstar Rising (2011) #7577
29	Leaves' Eyes 2003, Germany Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal	Njord (2009) #2095 Meredead (2011) #3478 King of Kings (2015)
30	Dark the Suns 2005, Finland Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal	All Ends in Silence (2009) #1891 Suru raivosi sydämeni pimeydessä (2021) In Darkness Comes Beauty (2007) #5527
31	After Forever 1995, Netherlands Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal	After Forever (2007) #4280 Invisible Circles (2004) #6281 Prison of Desire (2000) #7647
32	The Sins Of Thy Beloved 1996, Norway Symphonic Gothic Metal, Doom Metal	Lake of Sorrow (1998) #1567 Perpetual Desolation (2000) #9016 All Alone (1997) [EP]
33	Entwine 1995, Finland Gothic Metal	Time of Despair (2002) #2248 The Treasures Within Hearts (1999) #2361 Painstained (2009)
34	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #293 Vessels (2016) #410 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #423
35	Crematory 1991, Germany Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Death Metal	Act Seven (1999) Illusions (1995) #6065 Awake (1997)
36	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1104 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4334 Python Zero (2001)
37	Green Carnation 1990, Norway Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal	Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001) #672 The Acoustic Verses (2006) #3898 A Blessing in Disguise (2003)
38	Artrosis Poland Melodic Gothic Metal	Ukryty wymiar (1997) #2458 W Imię Nocy (1998) Poœród Kwiatów I Cieni (1999)
39	Evanescence 1995, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Fallen (2003) #2320 Origin (2000) [Demo] The Open Door (2006) #8551
40	The Third and the Mortal 1992, Norway Melodic Doom Metal, Experimental, Pop, Industrial	Tears Laid in Earth (1994) #2247 Painting on Glass (1996) #7165 Sorrow (1994) [EP] #7272
41	Charon 1992, Finland Gothic Metal	Tearstained (2000) Downhearted (2002) #2201 Sorrowburn (1998)
42	Trail of Tears 1997, Norway Gothic Metal, Symphonic Gothic Metal, Black Metal	Disclosure in Red (1998) #3154 Bloodstained Endurance (2009) #3781 Oscillation (2013) #4173
43	Beseech 1992, Sweden Gothic Metal	My Darkness, Darkness (2016) Black Emotions (2000) Souls Highway (2002)
44	Virgin Black 1995, Australia Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	Requiem - Mezzo Forte (2007) #3008 Requiem - Fortissimo (2008) #6235 Sombre Romantic (2001)
45	Tribulation 2004, Sweden Death Metal, Gothic Metal	The Formulas of Death (2013) The Children of the Night (2015) #1560 Down Below (2018) #3671
46	Krypteria 2004, Germany Gothic Metal, Power Metal	Bloodangel's Cry (2007) #4348 Krypteria (2005) #7143 My Fatal Kiss (2009) #8099
47	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4629 Sword's Song (2003) #5347 Evernight (2007) #6027
48	Dreams of Sanity 1991, Austria Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Game (2000) #5571 Masquerade (1999) #5686 Komodia (1997) #6893
49	Penumbra 1996, France Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal	The Last Bewitchment (2002) #6260 Seclusion (2003) #7196 Eden (2023)
50	Within Temptation 1996, Netherlands Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Alternative Rock	The Unforgiving (2011) #1136 Mother Earth (2000) #1326 The Silent Force (2004) #1579

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