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.

Misperceptions and Categorization

Although the style has seen much less controversy than other metal subgenres - and remarkably, fewer instances of debate - some arguments have gone on in regards to bands that have sported a gothic "image" versus those with direct genetics to the gothic metal genre.

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When widespread news events surrounded Marilyn Manson, for instance, some media personalities and journalists categorized him as a "gothic rock" and "gothic heavy metal" musician, eventhough few elements in his music would be classifiable of such. The growing popularity of industrial music in the 1990s can be factored as a major source to this, considering several artists in the genre inspired a "gothic" styled dress amongst suburban youths which was similarly debated in authenticity by those who proclaimed themselves "true" members of gothic subculture.

Related Topics:
Marilyn Manson - Industrial music - Subculture

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Although gothic metal - like most metal subgenres - is difficult to classify, some main attributes have remained fairly consistent:

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• lyrics focus on a variety of subjects: religion and God, heaven and hell, romance, (gothic) horror, depression, bereavement, emptiness, and death. Typically, the subjects are set in a pre-20th century environment.
• vocals are either sung by a male vocalist, female vocalist, or both. The male vocals are either in a deep tenor, or death grunt. Female vocals tend to be high and operatic, but sometimes sung in a regular tone with reverb usage for effects.
• the guitar(s) and bass are often in minor key, but can also be slow and heavily distorted, as what would be heard in doom metal. Along with percussion (and sometimes synthesizers), the pace and tone is sometimes dependent on the performance of the singer or the nature of the song.

There are also (occasional) instances in which gothic metal crosses over into other genres, such as power metal and symphonic metal.

Related Topics:
Power metal - Symphonic metal

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