what are some good Goth bands?

[+^Gothic_Dreams^+]

i'm always looking for some good Goth type bands. to listen to or Check out.


Thanks

 

[oldrooster]

Try The Cure, grandaddy of all goth bands.

 

[nadroj1985]

I don't think of Grandaddy as much of a goth band. Definitely more indie rock. The Cure's cool, though. Check out Bauhaus, as well

 

[oldrooster]

I wasnt referring to Grandaddy the band, never even heard of them. The Cure is the grandaddy of goth.

 

[blackwasp]

Wha...? There are good goth bands?

 

[oldrooster]

Blackwasp, I loved your old avitar, new one is ok too.....

 

[nadroj1985]

I wasnt referring to Grandaddy the band, never even heard of them. The Cure is the grandaddy of goth.

Well don't I feel stupid

 

[Qyöt27]

The Cure is the grandaddy of goth.

Granddaddy how? I believe that title actually goes to Bauhaus for defining the style. The Cure gave the mainstream their first taste of goth rock though, so I guess either could be right.

i'm always looking for some good Goth type bands. to listen to or Check out.

I can suggest a lot of bands. Bauhaus and The Cure were already mentioned, but there's also Joy Division (which later became New Order - yes, they of 'True Faith' and the original version of 'Blue Monday'). The Sisters of Mercy is also another great band, check out their Floodland and Vision Thing albums. The Mission UK is really good, as are Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Creatures. Concrete Blonde isn't really goth rock, but they are pretty dark and could easily fit into a playlist alongside these other artists. Especially their album Bloodletting. Peter Murphy, who was Bauhaus' lead singer, broke out on a solo career that produced a couple of modern rock hits at the end of the 80s that were very haunting, but a lot more accessible and listenable than most of Bauhaus' stuff. His albums Love Hysteria and Deep are the two that are the most popular, and from what little I've heard of it, the album that came after Deep, entitled Cascade, is also really good.

Unfortunately, there aren't any bands playing straight Goth rock anymore (or least, not a lot). The style went out of fashion at the close of the 80s, but a large amount of influence has seeped into Industrial music (in all its different forms). There is a Goth-Industrial style which a few artists play, like Vast, The Cruxshadows, and Switchblade Symphony, and that sounds pretty close to the original way Goth rock was played, especially Vast.

A lot of old-school Industrial music is also really dark (I'll list newer Industrial bands later). Bands like Skinny Puppy, KMFDM (or the side projects MDFMK or Slick Idiot), Front 242, or Nitzer Ebb are some of the earliest Industrial bands that can actually be played comfortably (anything earlier is just a bunch of noise that can be really hard to listen to; I can hardly stand it at times. Skinny Puppy is somewhat close to the 'random noise' type of Industrial, but they do have a rhythm and a definable melody, no matter how twisted around and torn through itself it might be). VNV Nation is a band that sounds a lot like Front 242 or Nitzer Ebb's type of Industrial music, and are really worth checking out.

And then there's more extreme forms.

Goth-Metal is one style. It comes mainly from European countries. Evergrey, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, and bands similar to them are really good, but sometimes they can be a little too operatic for me. You'll have to judge for yourself. BTW, Evanescence is technically a Goth-Metal band, but most people really into the scene think of them as kind of a rip-off of Lacuna Coil (who are extremely good; I highly suggest their songs 'Heaven's A Lie' and 'Self-Deception').

Believe it or not, Japanese rock (or J-Rock) bands have a large amount of Goth rock and Goth-Metal influence, with some Industrial and Thrash thrown in for good measure, so if you don't mind hearing the lyrics in Japanese, any of the so-called 'visual rock' bands will probably do (since J-Rock isn't as diversely classified as other types of rock yet - there's basically normal J-Rock, which is pop/rock type stuff and could sound a little on the punk side, and Visual, which has really outrageous stage costumes that resemble some odd combination of Goth, David Bowie during his 'Ziggy Stardust' faze, and traditional Kabuki theatre. The music from these bands is a lot harder and darker than anything else coming out of that country). X-Japan (who did do one song entirely in English, called 'Drain' - that's an awesome song), Dir en Grey, Malice Mizer, or Gackt (he was Malice Mizer's lead singer; really great Gothic vocals from this guy).

Electronic rock like Econoline Crush or Grand Theft Audio and 80s Synthpop like Depeche Mode or New Order.

And now, for that list of newer Industrial bands that could be of interest, even though you might already know them; there could be a couple in here that sound interesting.

Nine Inch Nails (started new wave of Industrial in late 80s/early 90s)
Ministry (practically the first well-defined Industrial Metal band)
Lard (a side project of Ministry with Jello Biafra from Dead Kennedys on lead vocals)
Revolting [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] (probably the only Industrial band to not take themselves seriously; once again, a side project of Ministry)
Gravity Kills
Stabbing Westward
Deadsy (the lead singer is Cher's and Greg Allman's son!)
Orgy
Powerman 5000
Celldweller
Circle of Dust
Klank
Rammstein
Megaherz
To/Die/For - kind of Goth-Metal also

maybe Static-X or Spineshank, but they're a bit closer to general alternative metal.

I hope this gives you a lot to look for and enjoy!

 

[blackwasp]

Blackwasp, I loved your old avitar, new one is ok too.....

Why thank you.

 

[DJ_Ghost]

Pssst; Qyot27, Sex gang Children not Bauhaus probably deserve the title Granddaddy of Goth title if your going on chronology. The term Goth is usually considered to have been applied first to Andi Sex Gang when he was palling about with Ian Astbury, they called him "Uncle Visigoth" and when his look started to appear on the fans, they called them Goths.

Any way, as for the good Goth bands. Qyot 27 has some fantastic ideas there, I would have to add,
"The Marionettes" and "James Rays Gangwar" (previously James Ray and the Performance) to the early Goth rock list. Oh and "Lords of the New Church".

There are actually quite a lot of British Goth bands still doing that style. Cauda Pavonis are pretty good, Inkubus Sukkubus (Pagan band, if that bothers anyone, I know some people here would mind and others would not so make up your own minds kids). Faces of Sarah (although I preferred them before they changed the line up, Izzys voice was not bad). Libitina as well if you can get their stuff in the USA. Its easy to get here but then you can see Libitina live almost any weekend in the UK, these guys are never off stage.

Early 90s British Goth bands where all "Sisters Sound alikes" but I can recommend "Star Industry" "Suspiria" and "The Merry Thoughts" because they all did it to perfection.

On the more industrial Goth side check our Alice 2, everyone should own their album (Brave New World). I was the first DJ in the UK to play this band and their album is now a standard presence in the collection of North East Goths. They are starting to be played all over the country as well. Can't believe Qyot mentioned VNV without also mentioning Apoptygma Berserk. If you like the industrial dance side of the music they are a must (Get the Album 7 in preference to anything else tho').

Punky Goth sounds I can recommend include (and are pretty much limited to) Alien Sex Fiend. Possibly the ugliest band ever to (dis)grace a stage. Bit parental advisory tho' so keep that in mind.

On the subject of things to consider before you decide (given that this is a Christian board) There is a very, very good British Goth/metal band called "Killing Miranda". However, I will point out that the lead singer is a Levayist so if that concerns you steer well clear, if not then give them a shot. Their only anti-Christian song is "Angel Fly" and overall Rikki is actually very respectful of Christians (he has defended my faith from other peoples attacks many times on the net despite being a Levayist)

I second all recommendations for;
The Sisters of Mercy
The Fields of the Nephilim
The Cure (actually I hate the Cure but thats a long story and has a lot to do with operant conditioning in an odd - I don't want to talk about it here - sort of a way)
The Cult (early cult, and especially when they were Death Cult)
The Mission UK
Bauhaus
The Cruxshadows (A lot of Christian Imagery in their work).

And suggest you try

Skeletal Family
The March Violets
The Virgin Prunes
The Marionettes
Rosetta Stone
The Merry Thoughts
Star Industry

I get all my stuff from Resurrection records in the UK (well actually I get most of it free in the post from the bands - pirks of the job, but when I have to buy I buy form resurrection).

Check out Cleopatra records in the USA.

Ghost

 

[Qyöt27]

Pssst; Qyot27, Sex gang Children not Bauhaus probably deserve the title Granddaddy of Goth title if your going on chronology. The term Goth is usually considered to have been applied first to Andi Sex Gang when he was palling about with Ian Astbury, they called him "Uncle Visigoth" and when his look started to appear on the fans, they called them Goths.

Hmm, I didn't know that. Everywhere I'd read, Bauhaus was always credited, with usually some blurb about defining the actual sound of the music style. I've never really been able to handle much of Bauhaus myself. About the only song that I can stand to listen to with no problem is the remix of 'Passion Of Lovers'.

Early 90s British Goth bands where all "Sisters Sound alikes" but I can recommend "Star Industry" "Suspiria" and "The Merry Thoughts" because they all did it to perfection.

I'll have to check them out as well.

Can't believe Qyot mentioned VNV without also mentioning Apoptygma Berserk. If you like the industrial dance side of the music they are a must (Get the Album 7 in preference to anything else tho').

Truth is, I've not really heard much of Apoptygma Berserk's music. I'm not really sure why right now, but it just escaped me for a second 'cause I don't have any of their stuff. I see them pop up on results for a lot of my music searches, however.

 

[Dyrwen]

If you get into Cradle of Filth at all, they're good black metal, which I can only assume might be "goth" band-like.

It's a little like Opera, an orchestra, and metal got together and had a Satanic lovechild.

 

[Ginsu]

I thought VNV Nation and Apoptygma were industrial influenced dance/EBM? ?

The Awakening
The Eternal Chapter
Virgin Black
Eva O
The Last Dance
Batzz in the Belfry
Bitter Grace

 

[Mr.Pious]

Joy Division (which later became New Order

I haven't really listend to no because ian curtis was the man and the band couldn't be the same without him, but I wouldn't consider them goth rock.

 

[Qyöt27]

I haven't really listend to no because ian curtis was the man and the band couldn't be the same without him, but I wouldn't consider them goth rock.

I was referring to Joy Division as Goth Rock. New Order is correctly a Synthpop band, but Synthpop (such a stupid name, just call it early Electronic dance/rock, if you have to) is pretty dark in and of itself.

I thought VNV Nation and Apoptygma were industrial influenced dance/EBM? ?

First, EBM is the same as Industrial Dance (EBM is a slightly outdated term, according to www.allmusic.com). Basically, it's the form of Industrial which naturally progressed out of the pioneering experiments of bands such as Throbbing Gristle (the original Industrial band) and Einstürzende Neubauten, and includes Skinny Puppy, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, and the like. However, the time frame is sketchy, since the only time that it became important for Industrial to be classified with Dance, Metal, etc. was in the early 90s, when it went semi-mainstream. Really, anything before Nine Inch Nails' and Ministry's rise to prominence was just plain old 'Industrial', and had a lyrical and sound structure far different from what hit the pop charts. It was the "First Wave" after the Throbbing Gristle-era Industrial, so I like to call all of it First Wave Industrial (basically all the variations before 1989 or so fall into this, such as Skinny Puppy, Front 242, and KMFDM-and even though KMFDM is still around, their style hasn't changed enough to be anything else but First Wave, it's just a lot more aggressive than it used to be, if that's possible). I'll refer to something as Industrial Dance if it was from after around 1990, since the break had already happened. But generally because of the darkness of the music, it's always had/still has a very Gothic sound to it, even if it wasn't/isn't Goth rock, quote for quote. So yes, I would call VNV Nation and Apoptygma Berserk Industrial Dance, but by the time that classification surfaced, Goth rock and Goth rock-inspired elements had begun cross-breeding with Industrial.

I hope this clears something up. After all, if you see something that doesn't quite make sense, remember that this is just my opinion, but I just find it easier to think of it this way.

 

[SpaceProg]

Some bands I've grown to like. (I don't know if they're really 'goth' or not, but they do have some Gothness to them and are worth checking out. These aren't counting the ones already mentioned like Nightwish and Inkubus Sukkubus.

Within Temptation
Autumn Tears
HeavenFalls
Therion
Halford
After Forever
Black Tape For a Blue Girl
Shadow Gallery
Theatre of Tragedy
Death SS

 

[fortyfourbreaks]

i guess i'll recommend bella morte, diary of dreams, and second sisters of mercy and switchblade symphony..

while i dont know anything about goth, other bands i heard were good, voltaire, faith and the muse, razed in black.

 

[DJ_Ghost]

I thought VNV Nation and Apoptygma were industrial influenced dance/EBM? ?

Pretty much, yes. There is a long history of Goth and Industrial dance being linked tho' (Especialy in the UK). Whilst strictly speaking EBM is the same as Industrial dance, the term EBM is often associated with the 4 to the floor beat of some foms of Industrial. This has lead to something of a split in the UK goth scene (dunno about the US Goth scene in this instance). With UK Goth clubs pretty much splitting and playing either EBM/Industrial dance (Clubs such as fight the robots in Newcastle for example) and what has become termed "Trad (or traditional) Goth" (primarily refering to guitar lead Goth and industrial music) (Clubs like Charnel House in Newcastle and InsanitoriuM in Essex). Some clubs attempt to mix it up (Slime light in London has had some success with that) although this does not always work (Clubs such as Snake Bite and Black, Requiem and Graveyard - all in Newcastle, failed as a result and have all closed down).

Interesting thing about the umbrella term of Trad Goth is that it has come to include Goth Metal Bands like Projekt and Evenesence which are far from Traditional. It also includes bands as diverse as The Sisters Of Mercy and Dead can dance, so its a pretty broad church these days.

There are also a number of bands that are often considered to skirt the trad goth/cyber goth (as the EBM/industrial scene is called in the UK) boundry. These include bands like the Cruxshadows, Mesh and interestingly enough Front 242. This is less about their music being ambigious enough to fit into both styles and more about the fact that these bands are generaly able to appeal to both trad and Cyber Goths so both groups try to claim them for their own even tho' they often quite confortably sit in one camp or another. For example Front 242 are pretty much industrial dance/EBM but are very popular with Trad Goths who site there pre-datting the general acceptance of the term EBM as a reason to classify them as Trad.

It can be a very artificial split at times, leading to some confusion. I recall being asked to DJ Newcastle big valantines Goth night which planned to play "Trad" Goth in one room of the club and "Cyber" in the other. When the DJs all got together to discuss what was going in which room, it pretty quickly became evident that some bands would be appropriate to both.

Ghost

 

[SpaceProg]

Big thing to remember about all this: Who cares about labels? If you like it, listen to it.

 

[Qyöt27]

Big thing to remember about all this: Who cares about labels? If you like it, listen to it.

Exactly what I think, but a label does serve the purpose of I.D.'ing a certain sound, so that you wouldn't have as hard a time finding other artists that perform that sound (not meaning cheap rip-off bands, but those that have their own take on it).