It's time to spread awareness of Gothic Metal! What exactly is Gothic Metal, some of you may ask? Well, I like to think of it as a genre of contrasts: Death Metal guitar riffs combined with violins, sweet keyboard melodies paired with moody atmospheric synths, rapid drum beats with lyrics often paying homage to fantasy and mythology, and operatic female voices sometimes countered by male death growls (called Beauty and the Beast vocals). Paradise Lost pioneered this type of vocals with the release of their album "Gothic" in 1991, and bands like The Gathering were experimenting with some of the genre's elements throughout the mid-90's. Today, Gothic Metal thrives mainly in Europe and has developed its own distinctive style.
I would like to share some of my favorite Gothic Metal bands, and it would be great if others did the same. None of these are performance videos, because most of the ones I found weren't of the best sound quality, but I hope you enjoy them all the same.
I'll start with
After Forever - Forlorn Hope and My Pledge of Allegiance:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NsIwTvoBKCE&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3euXu_m0F-w
Tristania - The Shining Path, Deadlocked, Beyond the Veil and Angina:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3XBcbdS8eAM
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gkARM5A0tyg&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hZr4YbY9XX4
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-4Zg5bB7yVc&feature
Sirenia - On the Wane and A Shadow of Your Own Self
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3mvU6GYgO_A
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ajN6vF...eature=related
The Sins of Thy Beloved - The Kiss and All Alone:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pw_VlQ...elated=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3oWz94fmQ4
Leaves' Eyes - Norwegian Lovesong and For Amelie:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MVWTPVIoDWA
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VyHCpGm3sqk
Theatre of Tragedy - A Hamlet for a Slothful Vassal:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ObfTTCBkwEo
Lacuna Coil - What I See:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wBtonsxV0VQ
The last two bands share most of the same elements as Gothic Metal, but are more Symphonic in nature.
Therion - The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah and Raven of Dispersion:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uqLYjR...eature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TmnMO7...eature=related
Nightwish (Symphonic Power Metal) - Stargazers and Over the Hills and Far Away:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk05SF...eature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ylhrQewk6lI
Linear Mode
