Requiem

So much Lemmy excitement. I feel compelled to speak up, not just about this thread, but about the whole 'Lemmy' phenomenon. 
Sorry if this is rude (and it definitely is and I don't mean it personally), but none of you miss Lemmy because I doubt you knew him, and there are a billion videos, albums and a few books available to experience the great man. In 2017 you can't take a few steps without tripping over the guy, even two years after his death. 
The only thing that has changed is that you won't be able to see him play live again or hear new music. There's definitely a sadness attached to that, considering he was a stalwart of rock n roll. But surely none of you actually miss him in the regular sense of the expression. 
Lemmy was awesome, obviously. But let's keep it Lemmy style and not overdo it.  
 

My local metal pub has a Lemmy day once a year, with Motorhead themed everything, Motorhead music, DVDs on the TVs and cheap Jack and Cokes. It's a great day. 
Also, the Lemmy movie is awesome one of those great biographical pieces that is fun for the music and for the man and a really cool legacy. 

Ahh that’s great stuff. Love it. 

There are many great bands in the gothic metal genre, but I want to talk about an individual. 
Any Morten Veland fans out there? He was instrumental (pardon the pun) in creating Norwegian band Tristania's two masterpieces back in the late 90s 'Widow's Weeds' and 'Beyond the Veil', before leaving to start his own more or less solo career with Sirenia. 
Sirenia just keep on pumping out great gothic/symphonic metal albums, but in the last few years Morten has stepped beyond the very good and into the great. I reckon it all started with 'Perils of the Deep Blue' which was just next level when it came to the songs, as well as the production which suddenly got fatter with more crunch and atmosphere. After some good but not brilliant albums it was like he finally decided to knuckle down and write the songs of his life. 
The last three albums have all reflected this commitment to quality. Check out a song from the most recent album 'Dim Days of Dolor' which is arguably Morten's greatest work. As usual for Sirenia he does the growled vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming, production and engineering. 'Dim Days of Dolor' is also the first album with new French vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan who is just phenomenal (with that French accent). 
 
Requiem's Ranking of Morten Veland's Albums from Least Best to Best Best
10. Sirenia - 'The Enigma of Life' (2011)
Vocals by Ailyn. This is ultimately a disappointing album considering when it was released, and sounds like Morten is quite flat and dried up creatively. Ailyn is a saving grace, and while the first two tracks are pretty good, this is a lame duck album unfortunately. Morten really is a hit and miss songwriter and producer when you compare this album with 'Perils' that would come out two years later. 
9. Sirenia - 'Nine Destinies and a Downfall' (2007)
Vocals by Monika Pedersen. I do enjoy this album but it's a fairly workmanlike approach from Morten here - almost a little paint-by-numbers. The track 'Seven Keys and Nine Doors' is a wonderful highlight hidden away at track 7. It's a good album but ultimately lacks a little depth. Vocals are fine but unexciting. 
8. Sirenia - 'The Seventh Life Path' (2015)
Vocals by Ailyn. This should have been a classic coming off the back of the brilliant 'Perils' album, but the songs are just too long and overinflated. Most tracks run between 6 and 9 minutes, and while this works on 'Perils' it just doesn't work here for some reason. Ultimately, there aren't the riffs to sustain this approach and it's quite emotionless despite being really well produced. The album really lags and sometimes by about minute 6 or 7 in some tracks I'm completely lost and so is Morten...
7. Sirenia - 'An Elixir for Existence' (2004)
Vocals by Henriette Bordvik. A great follow-up from the debut, there's a big jump from the last entry on my list to this one. Great opening track and solid songs throughout. Vocals are cool but not life changing. This has a brilliant album cover by the way. 
6. Sirenia - 'At Sixes and Sevens' (2002)
Vocals by Fabienne Gondamin. The mighty debut, this is a brilliant album although it has a little more filler than some of the kinder fans seem to remember. There's no denying how great it is though, and when 'Meridian' kicks in it totally takes me back to the good old days. It was a great album to put out after parting ways with Tristania and it just smashed what they were doing at the time. 
5. Sirenia - 'The 13th Floor' (2009)
Vocals by Ailyn. This is a really cool album that seems to have slipped under a lot of radars in the music press. The songs are catchy, Ailyn sounds fantastic and the vibe is really good. Tracks like 'The Mind Maelstrom' are world class. 
4. Sirenia - 'Dim Days of Dolor' (2016) 
Vocals by Emmanuelle Zoldan. Seriously this is a 9/10 album. It looks cheap at number four but that's only because the three ahead of it are landmark albums. The production is phat - everything sounds amazing. It's such a pleasure to listen to. Great songwriting - Morten trimmed at least a minute off the songs compared with the laborious 'Seventh Life Path' and the result is tight and oh so sweet. All killer, no filler. The new singer is brilliant too. 
3. Sirenia- 'Perils of the Deep Blue' (2013)
Vocals by Ailyn. This came out of nowhere after the misfire of 'The Enigma of Life'. The two albums are chalk and cheese. I couldn't believe how deep (no pun intended) and emotional these songs were when I first heard them. For the first time since I've been listening to this band (over ten years at the time) I was getting the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. The detail and effort that went into the songwriting and performance was 300% over 'The Enigma of Life'. Maybe Morten knew he needed to kick his own arse? The long songs work perfectly and there was a new found motivation and inspiration at work here. One of my favourite albums. 
2. Tristiania - 'Beyond the Veil' (1999)
Vocals by Vibeke Stein. It's a little unfair including these albums in this list, but the thread deals with both projects so here they are. The second Tristania album is a masterpiece and moment in time. The songwriting was a bit more upbeat and rocking, but all the ingredients of perfect 90s gothic metal are here: violin, atmosphere and great songwriting. Chills, chills, chills. 
1. Tristania - 'Widow's Weeds' (1998)
Vocals by Vibeke Stein. The debut contains that dash of magic that can only come from an exciting, youthful and momentous album of untouchable gothic metal. Put it in my coffin with me. 
 
Here's 'Goddess of the Sea'. Any other Morten fans out there? I accept that this thread could be a slow burn but I'm willing to wait hahaha.
 
 

While the recent threads I've started about specific bands haven't really threatened to break any discussion records, it would be remiss of me to not begin something about the mighty Moonspell. 
They are one of those bands that I've been following closely for exactly 20 years now since 'Irreligious' came out in 1996 (my favourite year for metal). They have consistently produced interesting, atmospheric and sophisticated albums, passing through that ubiquitous 'rock' stage caused by Paradise Lost's 'One Second' before returning to metal with 'Memorial' in 2006. 
A fantastic band. Here is my list of their albums from least best to best.  
12. The Butterfly Effect (1999)
I really enjoy this album, so it coming in last place should tell you how much I love their entire catalogue. Still, the industrial elements here tend to miss as much as they hit. This came out when a lot of my favourite bands were experimenting with electronic sounds, and I didn't connect with it when it was released as a 19 year old. It's got some good moments though. A good album cover, but nothing to get excited about. 
11. Alpha Noir/Omega White (2012)
I really like this double album release and it feels unfair to have it second last. The 'metal' disk 'Alpha Noir' is quite heavy and has some excellent songs, while the rock disk 'Omega White' has a good vibe. Somehow though it just didn't click into a full package of excellence. Some moments of its heaviness, for instance, feel a bit on the wrong side of thrashy. Take 'Lickantrope' for instance. Cool song, cool idea, but almost too hectic? Maybe I'm just being a wimp and should leave the hall. Very Septicflesh cover art again. It suits Septicflesh but not Moonspell. 
10. The Antidote (2003)
The first part of this album is absolutely killer. 'In and Above Men' is a brilliant song, and this whole album has the somewhat reserved gothic rock/metal vibe that I love about mid-era Moonspell but which a lot of casual listeners tend to write off. 'Everything Invaded' has my single favourite guitar solo ever (more or less). The latter parts of this album don't quite hold me, and it's definitely an album for when I'm in the right mood. Awesome band pictures with this package by the way, covered in grease. A cool look., as is the excellent dark cover art.  
9. Extinct (2015)
This is so beautifully produced by Jens Bogren. The kick drum is to die for. I don't think I've ever heard a better kick drum. The songs here are brilliant too, with 'Breathe' and 'The Last of Us' being so catchy. The final song, too, 'La Baphomette' is a nice moody piece in French. Overall, this is an awesome album with a bit of filler. The artwork goes too far though and feels wrong for the band. Bring it back lads. 
8. Sin/Pecado (1998)
Their first experiment with electronics is a personal favourite of mine. At the time it came out I thrashed this to death and would walk around inside wearing sunglasses. This contains the absolutely classic track 'Let the Children Cum to Me' which is a goddamn terrible title but a stunning song that the whole world has forgotten. This is a downbeat and cool album. I listened to this walking around Portugal and it fit so well. It's definitely their most 'Portuguese' album. It's all sunlight, dry and old. One of their greatest covers. 
7. Darkness and Hope (2001)
Downbeat and dark, this is gloriously restrained. That title track is just huge. This mid-era sophistication sounds great to my ears. This is similar to 'The Antidote' only this one has much more depth and ultimately better songs.  God the title track. So good. Excellent production. I also love the symbolism and artwork - simple yet elegant, a lot like the songs.
6. Night Eternal (2008)
This is huge and heavy, and builds upon the return-to-metal sentiment of 'Memorial'. The title track is an amazing song and they've got some rousing choruses here. This also contains the awesome 'Scorpion Flower' with Anneke from The Gathering. All the songs here are world class. Cover looks a bit dodgy with the bloody computer graphics. Why do bands do this? 
5. Under Satanae (2007* 1993-1994)
I wasn't going to include this but @Vampyrique is so in it goes. This is the re-recorded album released in 2007 of the band's first two demos and their EP 'Under the Moonspell'. And it's sensational. The song writing has all the drama and atmosphere of a band with great scope and ambition, and this re-recording is huge, heavy and authentic. The latter term is something sorely missing from nearly every other re-recorded album by metal bands. Tracks like 'Goat on Fire' and 'Ancient Winter Goddess' are classics that most people haven't heard. Mandatory listening. A monument. Cool album cover and fold out inlay. 
4. Memorial (2006)
This album was a miracle when it came out. The energy was back, and it was a huge return to form. Moonspell and Amorphis both released stunning heavy albums in 2006 after getting the downbeat rock stuff out of their systems, and hail Odin that they did. 'Memorial' is exciting, dark, deep and catchy. 'Once it Was Ours' is epic, while 'Luna' is beautiful and atmospheric. Great cover artwork and packaging. 
3. Wolfheart (1995)
The classic debut. 'Alma Mater', 'Love Crimes' - all the greats are here. This is the sound of an enthusiastic band with nothing to lose doing what they enjoy - making a great gothic metal album. And it's lasted all these years as a classic. Fabulous wolf photograph cover art. 
2. 1755 (2017)
This album really came out of nowhere, and it's the ultimate sound of triumph. Entirely in Portuguese, it chronicles the earthquake that destroyed most of Lisbon in 1755, and it's inspired. The album is upbeat and energetic, but oh so musical and spine-chilling. I don't know what's happened here, but the band has reached some sort of nexus of perfection with each of its constituent parts. 'Desestre', 'Todos os Santos' and 'In Tremor Dei' reach that nigh impossible mix of headbangable yet arms-raised-glorious simultaneously. The production is a Tue Madsen masterpiece - full, crunchy yet vibrant and gorgeous. The cover art is excellent but not jaw-dropping. 
1. Irreligious (1996)
Not just Moonspell's best, but one of gothic metal's cornerstones. The first three tracks of 'Perverse... Almost Religious, 'Opium' and 'Awake' that flow together like that is arguably the best start of any album ever. This is sophisticated and classy too, with songs like 'Raven Claws' and 'Ruin and Misery' just strutting all over the speakers. Then it all wraps up with 'Full Moon Madness' and you're left tingling and hailing at the throne of king atmosphere. Fantastic cover art that now symbolises a whole genre for some of us. 
 

Moonspell - Irrelgious
Moonspell from Portugal are another great gothic metal band who are still going strong. Back in 1996 they released this amazing album, contributing to my favourite year of music releases. It's catchy, atmospheric and contains many of the gothic rock hallmarks that were in vogue at the time and would also turn out to be so influential over the next few years. The keyboards, the deep male vocals, the female guest vocals, the melodies - it's all here except done to a 10/10 quality.  
I was listening to this album and their follow-up 'Sin/Pecado' while living on campus at University back in 1998, walking around at night with my sunglasses on telling everyone that Moonspell made me do it. Good times. 
The sound is a product of Woodhouse Studios and this is another great Century Media release. They would go on after this to use more electronic elements (thanks again Paradise Lost... not) , culminating in 1999's 'The Butterfly Effect' with its strong, boring, industrial tinges, before returning to form with the almighty 'Memorial' album in 2006 (again just after Paradise Lost and Amorphis returned to / moved on to their heavier style). 
Highlights in 'Irreligious' for me include 'Awake', 'Ruin and Misery' and the mighty closer 'Full Moon Madness' which still closes most of their live shows today. But it's the great song 'Opium' that wins for me and is an outright gothic metal anthem. Many late 90s parties were rocking to 'Opium' let me tell you. 
Hail Lusitanian metal. 
 
 

Saturnus - Martyre
Saturnus from Denmark released their first album, the fantastic 'Paradise Belongs to You' in 1997, and this post could easily be about that beautiful album, but instead I'm going with 1999's 'Martyre'. 
Yes there's doom here, plenty of it, and a bit of death, but as we are an equal opportunity thread I'm going to include this as gothic metal, and I think anyone who hears the album is going to see why. 
This is a special album for so many reasons. It's the last with founder and main songwriter Kim Larsen (they'll never be the same again). The opening choral piece '7' is haunting and perfect. The production is crisp yet warm. The vocals - in three styles by the almighty Thomas AG Jensen who speaks, moans and growls - are second to none in the doom/gothic scene. The spoken word vocals are just incredible. Evocative of some romantic era poet speaking odes to lost loves by haunted European lakes. 
The sense of quiet solitude and loneliness that pervades the album is so tangible you can taste it. Tracks like 'A Poem (written in moonlight)', 'Lost my Way' and the upbeat 'Empty Handed' are doom/gothic classics for the ages. A line from 'Empty Handed', "She's the lie I live by" really encapsulates the aura of unrequited love and obsession that pervades the album. 
With an iconic cover by Paul Delaroche which is actually a painting currently in the Louvre, the visual element of the release is also close to perfect. 
Here are the two first tracks, '7' and 'Inflame Thy Heart'. Check out the piano outro on 'Inflame the Heart' that complements the entire song.
 
 

Deathstorm is on to something here. I hope you don't mind if I elaborate on your great call! 
 
Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses
Released in 1993, this is another amazing album that pretty much came out of nowhere. Who would have thought that one of the greatest gothic metal albums of all time would come out of Brooklyn? 
Songs like 'Christian Woman' and 'Black Number 1' are classics, but so too are lesser discussed songs like 'Too Late: Frozen' and 'Summer Breeze'. They are melodic, elegant and long, with nothing rushed and nothing deliberately commercial. 
The original version of the album contained several less than serious tracks, but a later Roadrunner Records digipak edition was released (this time featuring the two girls on the cover kissing!) that had the joke 'songs' removed and the track order rearranged somewhat - and being the miserable old geezer that I am, it is the digipak version of the album that I find is the best representation of what is going on here. This may be anathema (pardon the pun) to some traditionalists, however. 
Long, gothic songs. Layers of keyboards. Peter Steele's inimitable deep and smooth vocals. Songs about sex and religion. If you like gothic metal check this album out. It's haunting, beautiful and erotic. 
Amazing fact: it actually went on to sell over a million copies! Here's 'Christian Woman': 
 
 

Paradise Lost - Icon
To put this album into context you have to understand what was happening in 1993. The answer is, not much when it comes to doom and gothic metal. It's the same year as My Dying Bride's immortal 'Turn Loose the Swans' and Anathema's first album, the awesome yet rustic 'Serenades', and in many ways a momentous year. But when you think of what is to come in the mid to late 90s, no one had any idea how huge this would all be. 
My Dying Bride and Anathema released absolute classics, but they were (beautifully) naive albums, and in many ways they struck it lucky. Paradise Lost, however, already had two albums out when they produced one of the greatest gothic metal albums of all time, 'Icon'. 
They were the first to bring a more rock orientated style into their sound which would become standard in three or four years across the globe. Songs like 'Embers Fire' and 'True Belief' are gothic metal classics with a great sense of melody and 'song'. They really set the path that would take quite esoteric metal bands into a more mainstream rock zone. 
Artwork is amazing, with a huge fold-out inlay that features a very young looking band on one side and the lyrics on the other. The stone statue images and green/yellow colour tone looks great, and the eye is drawn to all parts of the 12 panel fold-out.  
If you've ever wondered where the European gothic metal style and sound came from, it came from this northern British band in 1993. Name one gothic/doom band who was doing this in 1993: 
 
 

Cradle of Filth - Dusk and Her Embrace
Firstly, this album by Cradle is about as black metal as my grandmother's church scones. I'm not trying to be a genre fascist but if anyone thinks Cradle of Filth is a black metal band they need to go and listen to some *insert actual black metal release here*. 
This album came out in 1996 when I was an impressionable 16 year old, and at that point my friends and I had only heard bits and pieces of Cradle's 'Vempire' EP which we loved, but this album blew us away. The high pitched screams were genuinely intriguing in 1996, and the keyboards and production in general were just next level. 
Yes, Dani Filth sometimes seems a little more Lars Ulrich than we might desire, and his band(s) has released some albums admittedly better than others. But 'Dusk and Her Embrace' is an incredible release. It's epic, beautiful, haunting and with some of the greatest gothic themed lyrics you will ever hear/read in a metal band (or any other). 
Coming out prior to the internet's proper germination, I know all the lyrics to this album - test me if we ever meet - after years of booklet reading. The artwork is also one of my favourite of all time and the booklet is a thing of true gothic beauty. The cover with the (haunted) house up on the hill and the river in the foreground pretty much nails the aesthetic I love so much. 
Think of them what you will, but back in 1996 Cradle of Filth pushed the envelope and amazed a huge portion of the metal community. Check out this lyrics version of 'A Gothic Romance': 
 
 

I wanted to start a thread where people could post about a specific gothic metal album that they really love. It would be really good to hear from people about albums that mean a lot to them, and act as a bit of a recommendations thread as well. Basically it's an opportunity to talk about great albums in the genre. Posts wouldn't have to be long (like mine below...) but just a couple of lines to kickstart (my heart) a conversation. 
 
One of my favourite gothic metal albums is Tristania - Widow's Weeds
Tristania is one of the most important gothic metal bands in the world, and 'Widow's Weed' is a brilliant example of the genre. It was their first album, released in 1998, and even though there were plenty of great examples of this style of music already out there (Theatre of Tragedy), Tristania really seemed to push the envelope.
The choirs all over the album blew me away when I first heard it. Just like My Dying Bride's use of the violin was cool and original, Tristania's use of choirs on 'Widow's Weeds' really impressed me. Basically the more bombastic the better for me back then, and this album nailed it. From the iconic cover of a bleak stone manor house, these are Poe-esque tracks of love and loss without the later need for experimentation or innovation. Tracks like 'Evenfall', 'Angellore' and 'Midwintertears' are phenomenal. 
I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who followed Tristania closely after Morten Veland left the band, because for me, once he left after their next album 'Beyond the Veil' I really thought the band lost a really important part of their essence. Here he is a god, writing the lyrics, singing and writing a lot of the music. He went on to do Sirenia who are cool, but I don't think either Morten nor the rest of the band ever reached the heights of 'Widow's Weeds' and 'Beyond the Veil'. 
Anyway, I really hope others post something about albums they really like - even if it's just a couple of lines to get a discussion started. 
Pour yourself a glass of absinthe and kick back to a track from 'Widow's Weeds':
 
 

This was originally posted in another thread on this forum, but I thought it was a travesty that the inventors of gothic metal did not have their own thread. Hopefully some PL fans can come here and talk about what they like and don't like about one of the greatest bands in the world. 
Here's my list of their studio albums from least favourite to best favourite, as well as a brief outline of my thoughts. Please feel free to contribute etc. 
 
15. Believe in Nothing (2001)
This album is terrible. Flat, thin, rock that is presumably a response to the lack of mainstream success 'Host' was supposed to have but never did. From the bees on the cover to the emotionless musical pap throughout, this is what a great band sounds like when they no longer care. The first song is pretty good though. Bees on the album cover. 
14. Symbol of Life (2002)
This is ok, and the band is clearly trying to get a bit of weight back into their sound after the previous two albums, although they still sound a bit lost in the woods. The first two tracks are cool enough but there's not a lot bringing me back to repeated listenings, except for maybe 'No Celebration' which is a great New Years Eve song. Futuristic looking album artwork which is pretty cool, but not very Paradise Lost. 
13. Host (1999)
The electronic album. Everyone hated this at the time - I certainly did - but I have to say it's grown on me and I can appreciate it a lot more now. The songs are structured like regular PL tracks but all the beeps and squeaks (and haircuts!) are a bridge too far. I'll put this on sometimes and tell myself it's ok. Album cover matches the music, and it's pretty cool. 
12. Medusa (2017)
This is still fresh from the factory, but I have to say that I'm a bit empty after listening to this. The sludgy guitar tone is very sludgy, the riffs feel a bit bland and I don't get much of a chill or thrill from any of it. It feels more like a grindy sort of Cathedral album along the lines of 'The Last Spire'. Some of this is cool though, like the title track and the opening and closing songs. Overall though, it's not hitting me like these albums usually do. Maybe it will grow in time? The deliberately retro album cover is also a bit underwhelming. EDIT: This album has grown worse, not better, with time. 
11. One Second (1997)
This is the album that is personally responsible for the wimping out of Amorphis, Moonspell, My Dying Bride, Theatre of Tragedy and any number of bands who now wanted electronic elements in their sounds and to make 'rock' songs. 'One Second' is a cool album for sure and a huge shift for the gothic metal genre. When this came out after DT my friends and I were into it, but it was something of a disappointment. Mercifully, most of the bands listed here have returned to making quality metal again so all is forgiven. It just goes to show how influential Paradise Lost are. They started the genre then changed it and everyone followed them. Don't believe me, check out the dates of these bands' experimental phases. I'm sure you could probably name more bands who also went down this path at the time. The album cover is a (pretty) good idea but I hate that sickly grey colour. 
10. Lost Paradise (1990)
The death metal album that started it all. Not sure how much I truly love this or if it's simply because it's a PL album, but there's a lot of feeling for this admittedly rough collection of 'songs'. Nick is death growling, the band are youthful and enthusiastic for death metal but still with hints of what would come. Absolutely wacky album cover of a robot-alien shooting a laser into the sky (I think). Those were the days. 
9. Tragic Idol (2012)
This is a very good album but sounds quite similar to the two albums released prior to it, and although there are obvious differences I thought at the time, and still do, that they needed to change it up a little. It's good but doesn't really have much in the way of classics as far as songs are concerned. Beautiful box set artwork. 
8. The Plague Within (2015)
A very good album so late in their career. All the band's trademarks are here with possibly my favourite track of theirs 'Beneath Broken Earth' which gives me chills every time I hear it. There's a sense of darkness and rawness here. Great use of minor orchestration to give the rough songs texture. I have cooled on this a little bit since it first came out, but I still really like it. Amazing album cover. 
7. In Requiem (2007)
The return to metal! When this came out I was blown away and so overjoyed that they were playing this style again. The songwriting is top notch too - definitely metal but with the rock structures that they had been entrenched in for so many years. Excellent production. They're totally inspired and you can tell. Album cover is great and I've got the shirt somewhere. 
6. Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us (2009)
Title track is a genre masterpiece and the rest of the songs are emotive and atmospheric. 'Last Regret' is also so emotional and wonderful. This is the best of their recent return to heaviness, and mirrors 'In Requiem' as far as production and overall approach is concerned. It's almost 'In Requiem' part 2. The cover art is pretty cool in a medieval way, but it's not evocative and I actually had to look it up just now as I couldn't remember it. 
5. Paradise Lost, otherwise known as X (2005)
A beautifully polished album that sits between their heavier material and the more melodic. An amazing production and just great songs. If I'm feeling in between, then this is perfect. Nick sounds smooth and sophisticated, Gregor's guitars sound stunning. This might be a bit 'modern' for the denim and leather set, but the bourgeoisie love it. If they released this instead of 'Host' they would be millionaires by now. Great cover artwork but doesn't feel like it relates to anything apart from looking good (like my wife).  
4. Shades of God (1992)
Really an in-between album but a full blown classic nonetheless. The songwriting here is brilliant and of course 'As I Die' could well be their greatest song. Production is a touch underdone but that is part of its charm. The wonderful artwork is done by none other than Dave McKean. 
3. Gothic (1991)
The album that created a genre. For 1991 no one was doing this, with a touch of female vocals and a truly gothic atmosphere through a bit of synth. It sounds a little rough by today's standards but the songs are brilliant and there's something really special about the moment in time when this was created. O brave new world that has such albums in it. Simple yet classic album artwork. 
2. Icon (1993)
A little more robust in sound than DT, this is the first truly polished gothic metal album from the band. A little more metal. They've finally nailed it after shifting (creating!) genres. For 1993 this is so far ahead of its time. 'Embers Fire' is another song for the ages and should be played at everyone's funerals. Excellent artwork and huge fold out inlay. 
1. Draconian Times (1995)
The gothic metal masterpiece. Perfect production (the drums) and a beautiful vibe throughout. Songs like 'Enchantment' and 'The Last Time' will remain anthems until the end of time. I got this when I was 15 the year it came out, so it's really shaped me. This is what happens when an inspired band touches something really special in the studio and create a sound that could never really be repeated. I get chills every time I hear those opening piano notes... Best album cover of their careers, too. 

Theatre of Tragedy had a huge impact on me in my late teens and is probably the archetypal band that sums up gothic metal for me. Their use of beauty and the beast vocals just blew me away back in the 1990s, and to this day their first three albums are some of my favourites of all time. It hasn't all been roses and Shakespeare, though. Let's take a look at their output: 
Requiem's Ranking of Theatre of Tragedy Albums from Poor to Great
7. Assembly (2002)
This band, in my opinion, has more mediocre and poor albums than they do good, and here's as good a place to start as any. Their second album in the 'modern' style, with more beeps and squeaks than R2D2, songs about boardrooms and cities (probably), lyrics about god know's what but they certainly aren't poetic. Opening track 'Automatic Lover' will put you off any further exploration of the 'songs' here. The final album with Liv Kristine, and it's a credit to her that she held on long enough to record this tripe. Terrible post-modern future world cover 'art'. 
6. Forever is the World (2009)
Liv's replacement Nell Sigland is a good singer, but she just doesn't have the same vibe. Strange production on this, the band's final album. The songs are not terrible, and it has some elegance buried amongst the plastic mastering, but it's not particularly exciting and hard to listen to for any great length of time. Bland. Pretty cool and elegant album cover. 
5. Storm (2006)
The first song - the title track - is a great rock anthem, and is the only thing that really puts this album over 'Forever is the World'. Nell's first album. Bloody Raymond's vocals still come through this electronic vocaliser thing. What the hell was he thinking with it? Anyway, the song is great, the album is bland. Let's leave it at that. Nice faux leather album cover. 
4. Musique (2000)
I could write a whole thesis on the negative impact this album had on my friends and I when it was released, as a heap of gothic and doom bands went electronic, but I'll spare you. Once I got over the shock, the electronic ultra-modern songs are actually quite enjoyable, particularly the fantastic pop anthem 'Image' and the ode to train passengers everywhere in 'Commute'. Liv is great. Raymond sounds like a robot. Modern style album cover is ok and I don't hate it. But damn, this album ruined my life when it first came out. 
3. Theatre of Tragedy (1995)
The debut is a milestone in true Norwegian gothic metal. Genre jokes aside, this really set the template in many ways, with its renaissance feel, piano, beauty and the beast vocals and early modern English lyrics. Songs like 'A Hamlet for a Slothful Vassal' are archetypal. 'Sweet Art Though' is so damn amazing - listen to it and you feel like you're at a castle woeing a sexy damsel. Great album cover depicting two roses. 
2. Velvet Darkness They Fear (1997)
An all time classic, this is really the pinnacle of gothic metal in many ways. Stunning medieval/renaissance atmospheres, beautiful lyrics that are sometimes in the form of plays, other times poems, weaving an interplay between male and female protagonists like the bard himself. The music is melodic, organic and has some spine-tingling moments, like the harpsichord part in the middle of 'Fair and Guiling Copesmate Death'. For many, their last great album. Saucy semi-naked woman draped across purple silk makes for a fitting album cover.  
1. Aegis (1998)
Number 1. This is one of my all time favourite albums, and for many years I was going around telling people it was my second favourite from any genre. To this day it's mesmerising. The metal has been stripped back and Raymond speaks rather than growls, but the early modern lyrics remain, as do Liv Kristine's beautiful, lilting, Ophelia-like voice. The songs are repetitive, soft and often based around a verse/chorus structure, and just nails musical perfection for my personal taste, like in 'Cassandra' and 'Lorelei'. Great rose/fire album cover. 
I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this pretty divisive band. Any opinions?

This sort of thing is all the rage at the moment on the forums and is sorely lacking here.
Here is my top 10, following the one album per band rule. If a band straddles the doom or black genres I've gone with an album that (sort of) fits the gothic metal genre. @Vampyrique I've updated and filled out my list. 
 
10a. Sirenia - 'Perils of the Deep Blue' (2013)
Morten Veland's project has now really become his main event, with many more Sirenia albums now in existence compared with his Tristania work. This album is arguably my favourite of the Sirenia material. It has an epic scale but it's catchy and engaging all the way through, with a phat yet luscious production. This is the second last yet best album he would record with Ailyn on vocals. She has such a special voice. 
10b. To/Die/For - 'Jaded' (2003)
This is from the rock side of the genre. To/Die/For were untouchable for catchy melodic music around this era, and this album is just brilliant. Jape's deep voice was in its prime and the songs here are all gothic rock anthems. 
9. Saturnus - 'Martyre' (1999)
The final release from the Kim Larsen lineup of Saturnus, this album begins with the beautiful choir of '7' before launching into one of gothic metal's most exquisite moments with that riff from 'Inflame Thy Heart'. This album is just full of near perfect riffs and near perfect vocals with the spoken word, mid range bark and full deep growl. Spinetingling. 
8. Moonspell - 'Irreligious' (1996)
We are now officially in masterpiece territory. This is one of many classics from the 90s as you can see from the list. Tracks like 'Opium' and 'Full Moon Madness' are timeless. 
7. Tristania - 'Widow's Weeds' (1998)
A true gothic album, this contains choirs, creaking church doors, organs and some incredible metal. Morten Veland's second appearance on the list. That guy is a genius. I went with this, their debut, over the more upbeat 'Beyond the Veil' because this has the real ivy-on-manor-house-walls feel that perfectly sums up the genre. 
6. Theatre of Tragedy - 'Aegis' (1998)
I was so tempted to put 'Velvet Darkness They Fear' in this spot rather than 'Aegis', but I think 'Aegis' just wins out due to some nice memories of a girl from university who used to like listening to this when we were being intimate. The band dropped the growls and replaced them with Raymond's dulcet speaking voice, and they amped up the repetitive catchiness and sweetness. What they ended up with was a beautiful album and me getting laid. 
5. My Dying Bride - 'Like Gods of the Sun' (1996)
This album really changed my life. Technically I would class 'The Angel and the Dark River' as gothic metal as well, and on a good day I prefer that album, but this album just fits the vibe of gothic metal so perfectly. When I first heard the title track on Australian radio back in 96 I knew I'd found the next level. This is dark with fabulous twin guitar harmonies and a great violin sound back when it was still original. Oh man I love this album. 
4. Paradise Lost - 'Draconian Times' (1995)
Paradise Lost are responsible for so much in this genre. This album is nearly perfect in its production, artwork, texture and sophistication. When I discovered this album back in about early 1996 I thought this band was the classiest metal band I'd ever come across. 
3. Cradle of Filth - 'Dusk and Her Embrace' (1996)
Writing out these little reviews is bringing home how important this genre is to me. Cradle's 'Dusk' album is a theatrical masterpiece. Romantic keyboards, epic soundscapes, beautiful gothic riffs and some of Dani's best lyrics. Amazing artwork too. 
2. Anathema - 'Alternative 4' (1998)
Is this gothic metal? It's close enough and I'm running with it. The violin, piano and mournful guitar riffs all work on crushing the heart with some of Vincent's best vocal lines and Duncan Patterson's best lyrics. Yes, 'Fragile Dreams' and 'Inner Silence' are well recognised classics, but check out 'Lost Control' and 'Feel' for crying out loud. Just amazing. I used to have 'Feel' on a tape that I had recorded from the radio back in 1998. God, what an era. 
1. Type O Negative - 'October Rust' (1996)
And here's number 1. This isn't just my favourite gothic metal album of all time (which is bloody saying something, let me tell you), but it's also probably my favourite album of all time of any genre (if that's even possible to call). Peter Steele and Josh Silver are just so far beyond the rest of the planet on this album that it's hard to believe it was created by humans. Songs like 'Love you to Death', 'Red Water (Christmas Mourning', 'Wolf Moon' and 'Haunted' are untouchable. 'Be My Druidess' has one of the greatest ending riff/vocal lines of all time. Everything about this album is romantic, emotional and gothic. 
 

So much Lemmy excitement. I feel compelled to speak up, not just about this thread, but about the whole 'Lemmy' phenomenon. 
Sorry if this is rude (and it definitely is and I don't mean it personally), but none of you miss Lemmy because I doubt you knew him, and there are a billion videos, albums and a few books available to experience the great man. In 2017 you can't take a few steps without tripping over the guy, even two years after his death. 
The only thing that has changed is that you won't be able to see him play live again or hear new music. There's definitely a sadness attached to that, considering he was a stalwart of rock n roll. But surely none of you actually miss him in the regular sense of the expression. 
Lemmy was awesome, obviously. But let's keep it Lemmy style and not overdo it.  
 

CDs all the way, but also mp3 versions of them so I can listen when I’m out on the town. 
 

And that’s perfectly fine because it’s personal taste.
For me though, albums like ‘De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’, ‘In the Nightside Eclipse’ and ‘Storm of the Lights Bane’, to name but three, are the near pinnacle of metal evolution and the beginning of its devolution.
Throw ‘Turn Loose the Swans’, ‘Bloody Kisses’ and hell, even ‘Demanufacture’ in there and we are starting to look at a special time in musical output. 
Hail 1993-1995.

Finally getting around to posting some tracks that didn't just open their albums, it opened my world. I'm also not listing intros and non-lyrics songs. Proper opening tracks only. And all that...
Megadeth - 'Holy Wars... the Punishment Due' from 'Rust in Peace'
Obvious perhaps, but it just has to be listed. A lot of great memories with this one and it perks me up when I feeling flaccid. 
Blind Guardian - 'Sacred Worlds' from 'At the Edge of Time'
I agree with everything that @MacabreEternal said. This is my favourite opener in power/adventure metal, with the huge orchestra, choruses and amazing everything. Like stepping into another world. 
Burzum - 'Dunkelheit' from 'Filosofem'
And @Balor also has the right idea. 
Amorphis - 'Better Unborn' from 'Elegy'
This is one of the all time great songs and a beautiful epic start to the best Amorphis album. 
Paradise Lost - 'Enchantment' from 'Draconian Times'
From those initial piano notes the grand ending, this is a gothic metal classic. 
My Dying Bride - 'The Cry of Mankind' from 'The Angel and the Dark River'
Speaking of gothic metal classics, this gothic/doom capital e Epic was a life-changer.
Rapture - 'Misery 24/7' from 'Silent Stage
Anyone into 'Brave Murder Day' with a bit more pep needs to hear this anthem immediately. 
Saturnus - 'Starres' from 'For the Loveless Lonely Nights'
A fabulous doom classic to start their best release. 
Satyricon - 'Hvite Krists Dod' from 'The Shadowthrone'
Possibly the greatest song in black metal, this is next level. 
Funeral - 'This Barren Skin' from 'From these Wounds'
I'm listing lots of doomy stuff here, but it's so good. This song is an amazing opener for the album. 
 

I think '13' is a pretty good album considering the circumstances. It could have been a lot worse, put it that way. I think it's a fitting end to their career. 

Steve Smith is an amazing batsmen, but he and David Warner are hardly Einsteins. I'm surprised something like this hasn't happened sooner - it's just so believable. And as if Bancroft would come up with the idea of ball tampering in only his 8th test match or however many it is. 
Smith is mad to have done this. He was the best batsman in the world, why even bother with this craziness. It's all so weird. It's like a set-up or something. 
Also, I know you love the Aussies but the Australian cricket team has long had a reputation for pushing ethical boundaries. Sledging, bowling under arm, Steve Waugh's 'mental disintegration'. This is why I support the English cricket team. God save the queen!

Post photos of your various collections here! 
Here are three shots of my black metal collection. The first is the whole thing, but i've also included two closer shots that should be clearer when zooming in etc.  
Entire Black Metal CD collection: 

Top half:

Bottom half: 

You sound like this woman at work who "cautions" me about eating too much fruit because of its sugars.
This is what happens when people start talking diets - all the experts come out of the woodwork. I could see Ikard backing away from the very start but you went ahead and put your foot in the door as he tried to close it: "Let me tell you about proteins...!!!"
As for my diet, the less said the better. The other day I had M&Ms for breakfast and McDonalds for lunch. I told the fruit/sugars woman who was thrilled to bits. She thinks I'm a bad boy, and she's right. 

ebay is pretty much the only online place I bother looking. It's just so much cheaper than other places I've looked at, and most albums I want are there, new, often with multiple sellers and I just pick the cheapest. A lot of places I buy from on ebay have free postage too. For old school classics it's impossible to beat really because you can pick em up for under ten bucks including postage. 

This sort of thing is all the rage at the moment on the forums and is sorely lacking here.
Here is my top 10, following the one album per band rule. If a band straddles the doom or black genres I've gone with an album that (sort of) fits the gothic metal genre. @Vampyrique I've updated and filled out my list. 
 
10a. Sirenia - 'Perils of the Deep Blue' (2013)
Morten Veland's project has now really become his main event, with many more Sirenia albums now in existence compared with his Tristania work. This album is arguably my favourite of the Sirenia material. It has an epic scale but it's catchy and engaging all the way through, with a phat yet luscious production. This is the second last yet best album he would record with Ailyn on vocals. She has such a special voice. 
10b. To/Die/For - 'Jaded' (2003)
This is from the rock side of the genre. To/Die/For were untouchable for catchy melodic music around this era, and this album is just brilliant. Jape's deep voice was in its prime and the songs here are all gothic rock anthems. 
9. Saturnus - 'Martyre' (1999)
The final release from the Kim Larsen lineup of Saturnus, this album begins with the beautiful choir of '7' before launching into one of gothic metal's most exquisite moments with that riff from 'Inflame Thy Heart'. This album is just full of near perfect riffs and near perfect vocals with the spoken word, mid range bark and full deep growl. Spinetingling. 
8. Moonspell - 'Irreligious' (1996)
We are now officially in masterpiece territory. This is one of many classics from the 90s as you can see from the list. Tracks like 'Opium' and 'Full Moon Madness' are timeless. 
7. Tristania - 'Widow's Weeds' (1998)
A true gothic album, this contains choirs, creaking church doors, organs and some incredible metal. Morten Veland's second appearance on the list. That guy is a genius. I went with this, their debut, over the more upbeat 'Beyond the Veil' because this has the real ivy-on-manor-house-walls feel that perfectly sums up the genre. 
6. Theatre of Tragedy - 'Aegis' (1998)
I was so tempted to put 'Velvet Darkness They Fear' in this spot rather than 'Aegis', but I think 'Aegis' just wins out due to some nice memories of a girl from university who used to like listening to this when we were being intimate. The band dropped the growls and replaced them with Raymond's dulcet speaking voice, and they amped up the repetitive catchiness and sweetness. What they ended up with was a beautiful album and me getting laid. 
5. My Dying Bride - 'Like Gods of the Sun' (1996)
This album really changed my life. Technically I would class 'The Angel and the Dark River' as gothic metal as well, and on a good day I prefer that album, but this album just fits the vibe of gothic metal so perfectly. When I first heard the title track on Australian radio back in 96 I knew I'd found the next level. This is dark with fabulous twin guitar harmonies and a great violin sound back when it was still original. Oh man I love this album. 
4. Paradise Lost - 'Draconian Times' (1995)
Paradise Lost are responsible for so much in this genre. This album is nearly perfect in its production, artwork, texture and sophistication. When I discovered this album back in about early 1996 I thought this band was the classiest metal band I'd ever come across. 
3. Cradle of Filth - 'Dusk and Her Embrace' (1996)
Writing out these little reviews is bringing home how important this genre is to me. Cradle's 'Dusk' album is a theatrical masterpiece. Romantic keyboards, epic soundscapes, beautiful gothic riffs and some of Dani's best lyrics. Amazing artwork too. 
2. Anathema - 'Alternative 4' (1998)
Is this gothic metal? It's close enough and I'm running with it. The violin, piano and mournful guitar riffs all work on crushing the heart with some of Vincent's best vocal lines and Duncan Patterson's best lyrics. Yes, 'Fragile Dreams' and 'Inner Silence' are well recognised classics, but check out 'Lost Control' and 'Feel' for crying out loud. Just amazing. I used to have 'Feel' on a tape that I had recorded from the radio back in 1998. God, what an era. 
1. Type O Negative - 'October Rust' (1996)
And here's number 1. This isn't just my favourite gothic metal album of all time (which is bloody saying something, let me tell you), but it's also probably my favourite album of all time of any genre (if that's even possible to call). Peter Steele and Josh Silver are just so far beyond the rest of the planet on this album that it's hard to believe it was created by humans. Songs like 'Love you to Death', 'Red Water (Christmas Mourning', 'Wolf Moon' and 'Haunted' are untouchable. 'Be My Druidess' has one of the greatest ending riff/vocal lines of all time. Everything about this album is romantic, emotional and gothic. 
 

You misunderstand. Just because you're into the occult doesn't mean you can say you've had sex, Salmo. 
Don't worry, though - one day you'll meet the right person.