Gothic metal

Gothic metal (also called Goth metal) is a crossover between heavy metal music and gothic music itself; although the term 'metal' is debated by those who say it is mainly gothic music. It developed in the early 1990s in Europe and the United States. Gothic metal has proven somewhat difficult to categorise. Some fans and musicians have a firm concept of genre and subgenre, but others reject such categorisation as limiting or useless. There is often significant crossover from one category to another, and often the influence of non-metal music.

Forward (1990-present)

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In the 1990s, a group of young bands in Northern England borrowed

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from the early gothic metal sound of the 1980s and incorporated it with the slow, downtuned guitar dirges of Black Sabbath. Gothic Doom, or DoomDeath, as it was often called, would be regarded as a second stage of the subgenre. Bands most notable for this style included Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, and Anathema.

Related Topics:
Black Sabbath - Paradise Lost - My Dying Bride - Anathema

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Although the Scandinavian region was known more for its death metal and black metal fertility, many bands who started in either genre had progressed and conformed more to gothic metal styles - Tiamat, Theatre of Tragedy, and Lake of Tears being a few examples. Although Paradise Lost, Anathema used some female vocals in their music, Norway's Theatre of Tragedy was the first gothic metal band with a leading female singer, Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (later replaced by another female singer, named Nell).

Related Topics:
Death metal - Black metal - Tiamat - Theatre of Tragedy - Lake of Tears - Paradise Lost - Anathema - Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull

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Similarly, New York City's Type O Negative had some connections to death metal and thrash metal with lead singer/bassist's Peter Steele's earlier group, Carnivore. Although the band has taken a more humorous, tonque-and-cheek approach to the genre, they have played a large role in the genre and its characteristics.

Related Topics:
New York City - Type O Negative - Death metal - Thrash metal - Carnivore

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A softer version of Gothic metal had evolved in the mid-late 1990s. These bands focused on female vocals as well, although not neccesserly operatic ones, and reduced doom metal elements and male death vocals significantly. These bands include The Gathering (Netherlands), Within Temptation (Netherlands), Lacuna Coil (Italy) and Lacrimosa (Germany). Some of these bands also combined electronic sounds and mainstream rock music with the traditional Gothic metal sound to create a lighter and more accessible form of the genre.

Related Topics:
Doom metal - The Gathering - Netherlands - Within Temptation - Lacuna Coil - Italy - Lacrimosa - Germany - Rock music

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The Gothic metal scene is currently very developed in Northern Europe, especially Norway.

Related Topics:
Europe - Norway

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