Early mixes of Heavy Metal and Gothic Rock

[MechaBarbarian]

While my biggest area of interest in music is Heavy Metal (duh!) I do have an affinity for the early Post-punk and goth scene. From around 1979 to 1988.
And for a while I've been pondering doing a write up about the concept of Gothic Metal, If it does exist at all? What the trappings of this maybe-genre is and if it exits what could it's strengths be? So I'd love to hear about some bands both from the Goths approaching metal camp and Metal bands incorperating post-punk/ Goth influences in their music. What I want to make perfectly clear is I'm not looking for modern bands and their approach to the fusion. So I'll put a stop at the year 1993.

Bands I'm already planning to write about, in no particular order:
The Peaceville bands
Christian Death
In the Colonades
Coven
Sisters of Mercy
Fields of the Nephilim
Saviour Machine
Tiamat
type 0 Negative
Killing Joke
Evereve
Anacrusis
The cult
Black Hole
Edit: Oh Danzig/Samhain and Celtic Frost of course!

some small mention of finnish/swedish bands in the 90's
I expect this to be a fairly extensive piece, and thus I'm painting with very broad strokes to answer my questions!

Also I'd be interested in knowing: How would you define Gothic Metal? What band would be a good example of it? Thanks in advance, friends!

[Prowler]

Morticia
http://www.locusic.com/Artist/Bio/131

On "Mortal fear" is even a classic Power Metal tune besides basically their listenable Gothic Rock/Metal mix. And 2 nice chicks ...

[MechaBarbarian]

Killer suggestion again Prowler! What a gem! Many thanks!

[MechaBarbarian]

I feel like there is some NWOBHM/early US band with a very laid back style and a lot of mood that might fit this thread, but the name totally escapes my mind.

[Ernest Thesiger]

Here's a suggestion from me:

[MechaBarbarian]

Here's a suggestion from me:

Thanks a lot! 'much obliged!Also wow on the Black Metal vocal approach it' like a metal infused SWANS or something. Sounds like Post-Metal before that was even remotely a ''thing''

Edit: after listening to the whole thing...Why the hell aren't these guys mentioned as lost Black Metal pioneers? ( well expect they're missing the whole Satan thing of course) But listen to 'Egg Ya Hummie'. This from a Post-punk band from -89? Bizarre!

[HamburgerBoy]

Would Devil Doll qualify, at least on the first album? Also, I think Arpia fits, at the very least very dark and atmospheric stuff with doom passages. They left metal after the 80's from what I can tell, however. Oh, and Stillborn is definitely goth metal done properly, first album a bit more aggressive and deathrock-ish, second slower with dramatic baritone vocals everywhere.

And seconding the amazement at Ham; does not sound like anything from the late 80's to me. Thanks for that, and Morticia too.

[Herkus Monte]

Didn`t Warlord call their music Gothic Metal back in 1984?

[Ernest Thesiger]

Oh, and Stillborn is definitely goth metal done properly

Damn, how did I forget them? Do like Necrospirituals a lot.

[MechaBarbarian]

Would Devil Doll qualify, at least on the first album? Also, I think Arpia fits, at the very least very dark and atmospheric stuff with doom passages. They left metal after the 80's from what I can tell, however. Oh, and Stillborn is definitely goth metal done properly, first album a bit more aggressive and deathrock-ish, second slower with dramatic baritone vocals everywhere.

And seconding the amazement at Ham; does not sound like anything from the late 80's to me. Thanks for that, and Morticia too.

Thanks a lot for those recommendations HamburgerBoy! Devil Doll I have actually never heard of before so I'll have to look into that ASAP! Also Arpia sounds very interesting, I'm working on a compilation at the moment with my discoveries, focused around heavy Deathrock and early Doom and this just might fit in perfectly! Stillborn I've been meaning to look into, but sort of dreaded doing! Thanks a lot for your time, also thank you for the recommendations of yours I have read on MA in about techno-thrash!

I asked the very same question in a group about the old goth scene and I got this great band Mighty Sphincter Very heavy and DOOMy deathrock!
I also discovered the Super Heroines! seriously oldschool Doom mavens, give Mighty Sphincter a try.

While I really love Warlord they're not what I'm after with this thread. Mrs.Victoria is gothic in the same way King Diamond is i.e gothic stories.

[nightsblood]

A few that might qualify
Trop feros
Manimals
Tsol
Ripper
Energy vampires
Paul chain
Death as

Hard genre to define since goth is often about ambience as much as anything else

[Dokken_Uwe]

MIGHTY SPHINCTER are great.

This one's a great gothic/deathrock song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj1DsbBAhoY

while tunes like "Bag lady" or "New manson family" qualify themself as metal songs.

[MechaBarbarian]

MIGHTY SPHINCTER are great.

This one's a great gothic/deathrock song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj1DsbBAhoY

while tunes like "Bag lady" or "New manson family" qualify themself as metal songs.

Yes you'll see I mentioned them a bit up. Great band indeed!

@nightsblood thanks a lot for your suggestions! I can't seem to find anything at all about 'Trop Feros' on the internet? Tsol I've been meaning to explore but it seems like their output is mostly divided between goth/punk and later hair metal. The Ripper were an interesting addition, thank you!

[Ernest Thesiger]

I can't seem to find anything at all about 'Trop Feros' on the internet?

http://thecorroseum.com/rev/tropfeross.htm

[Fire Down Under]

mighty WARFARE had Gothic influences on some songs on their last album "Hammer Horror":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8B3zBUPSSA