Gothic / Melodic Metal

[Contra Fates]

I go through really weird music phases, from K-Pop, to Alternative, to classical, to R&B, and now I'm back in a Gothic / Melodic Metal kick and I'm looking for some recommendations for new bands to listen to.

These are the bands I like from this genre:

• Nightwish
  
• Epica
• After Forever
  
• Diablo Swing Orchestra
• Illuminata
• Lacuna Coil
• Within Temptation

So, the main style I like is: female vocalist, more melodic than metal, not too crazy on the grunts / growls / screeches from a male vocalist.

Thanks for any recommendations. Lookin' to get my gothbat on.

[The Monstah]

You basically named the only ones I know. Mostly Nightwish and all that. Have you tried Kidneythieves or In This Moment?

Edit/ Or Apocalyptica? Or Voltaire? Those two are good.

[Contra Fates]

I do know of the last two, I'm quite fond of Voltaire's lyrics and Apocalyptica is good, but not really what I'm looking for.

I checked out the other two, and I think they're both a little too electronica for me, I'm really digging the more violin synth / piano kind of Gothic sound these days.

[The Monstah]

Ah. Well.....Evanescence? Ha, I'm out of my gothic phrase. Talk to me 8 years ago. Could've told you a lot lol.

[Harpy Queen]

I recommend Siouxsie and the Banshees (Pulled to Bits, Night Shift, and Cities in Dust are my favorite songs by them) and The Sisters of Mercy (Walk Away being my favorite song by them). Both are good Gothic rock bands from the Eighties. Oh, and The Mars Volta did a cover of Pulled to Bits by Siouxsie and the Banshees that I found good. The Sisters of Mercy has a male singer but is often accompanied by female singers, and Siouxsie and the Banshees has a female singer.

[Sylent]

Delain See Me in Shadow or Frozen

Xandria Ravenheart or Eversleeping

Leaves' Eyes Into Your Light or Scarborough Fair

Amberian Dawn Valkyries or Dreamchaser

Indica In Passing or Precious Dark

[Altered Tundra]

Though technically they're more gothic rock, Evanescence can fit into the overall category of Gothic Rock/Metal, though that's a big stretch. The group of bands you gave are pretty much the only Gothic/Melodic Metal bands that I know of.

[VarockSvent]

Edit: They also do a song with the singer from Epica

[Sanquin]

Delain has already been named, but don't stick to just those two songs. They have a lot of good ones in their first 2 cd's in my opinion.