Gothic Metal

[phedrereine]

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=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=gkARM5A0tyg&feature=related)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hZr4YbY9XX4

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-4Zg5bB7yVc&feature (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=ajN6vFmbJow&feature=related

The Sins of Thy Beloved - The Kiss and All Alone:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pw_VlQ7j5KY&feature=related=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=uqLYjRn--GI&feature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TmnMO7ZuxjQ&feature=related

Nightwish (Symphonic Power Metal) - Stargazers and Over the Hills and Far Away:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk05SFIKkfA&feature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ylhrQewk6lI