The Top 40 Greatest Goth Bands -20 to 11

Here we go, continuing to count down our top 40 greatest goth bands of all time. If you are just joining us, let's clear up a few things first off: it says bands, so that eliminates solo acts and one-man shows, and some of my favorites, so no Gary Numan, Chelsea Wolfe, or Marilyn Manson. Sure, some of them have freuent collaborators, but these are at the very least duos who continued to make an impact on goth as we know it today. Some opened new doors for the genre; others are keeping the flame burning in the midnight hour into the genre's tomorrow. There are a range of sub-genres that are included under the black umbrella of goth, death rock, and dark wave being the most obvious, but I am including a few post-punk, neo-folk, metal and industrial acts if they really have Halloween flowing through their veins.

20-Clan of  Xymox

They have perfected their sound over the years until it is now the very definition of what goth should be. 

19-Psyclon Nine

From hammering dancefloor-banging industrial  to bleak darkwave, these guys are serious shit

 

 

18-Cold Cave

He started off as more of a solo project, but it's turned into an actual organic band that works live. Over the past few years, they have gone from post-punk to darkwave. 

 

 

17-Strvngers

An underrated band that coasted below the radar of most, but wrote hyper-edgy darkwave with a nu-metal attitude.

16-Rasputina 

Quirky chamber music for vampires... yes please. 

15- My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult 

Poen soundracks for the devil 

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14-Oingo Boingo

I'll admit the horns can come close to being too happy at times, but they have some of yhe most endearing Halloween bangers, as well as the voice of Jack Skellington on the mic,

13-The Jesus and Mary Chain

A testament that when post-punk gets depressed enough it can darken into goth.

   

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12-Grave Pleasures

The umbrella Mat's work also includes Beastmilk, further solidifying their place here.

   

11- Swans 

What knocked them out of the top 10 was the fact that they have a really strong goth era of albums, but it's bookended by industrial noise and experimental post-rock. If this were the 40 loudest bands, they would be number 1. 

Gothtober-The Top 40 Greatest Goth Bands 30 to 21

 

Here we go, continuing to count down our top 40 greatest goth bands of all time. If you are just joining us, let's clear up a few things first off: it says bands, so that eliminates solo acts and one-man shows, and some of my favorites, so no Gary Numan, Chelsea Wolfe, or Marilyn Manson. Sure, some of them have freuent collaborators, but these are at the very least duos who continued to make an impact on goth as we know it today. Some opened new doors for the genre; others are keeping the flame burning in the midnight hour into the genre's tomorrow. There are a range of sub-genres that are included under the black umbrella of goth, death rock, and dark wave being the most obvious, but I am including a few post-punk, neo-folk, metal and industrial acts if they really have Halloween flowing through their veins. 

30-Crippling Alcoholism

This band took what the Birthday Party did and wrote catchier, more depressive tunes

 

 29-Bestial Mouths 

They make dark wave that is so dark it's as heavy as industrial

 

28-Woods of the Ypres

The would be successor to Peter Steele, but being true to form, their frontman also died; the depression was not an act. 

27-Miranda Sex Garden

The real ones know...

 

 26-Virgin Prunes 

What happens when a death rock band wants to play new wave, it actually remains pretty creepy. 

25-Death in June

They are too into the apocalypse for Halloween, but it still works. They had a hug influence even on people who turned against them. 

 

  24-My Dying Bride

One of the best pairing of metal to goth; the atmosphere is legit. 

 

23-Electric Hellfire Club

Dark as fuck death disco... Pray to Satan

 

  22-Specimen 

Death rock that you can shake your pale booty to.

   

21-Samhain

This Misfits evolved into death rock, in fact, an arguably better band as well. 

pst513

Gothtober- Top 10 Christian Death Albums

 

This month I reviewed every Christian Death album except the two most recent, which I had alreaddy covered. So with that data, how could I not rank them according to importance and which ones have the msot bangers that stand the test of time? Put links to the review rather than write a blurb about to them for more info, click those links.

10-Atrocities 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-christian-death-atrocities.html

9-Evil Becomes Rule 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2022/04/christian-death-evil-becomes-rule.html

8-American Inquisition

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-with-christian_01819132961.html

7-Born Again Anti-Christian 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-with-christian_01393214844.html

6-Rage of Angels

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-with-christian_01224329825.html

5-Catastrophe Ballet 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-christian_0896016248.html

4-Ashes

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-christian-death-ashes.html

 

3-The Iron Mask

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-with-christian_01727776294.html

2-Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-with-christian_053570414.html

1-Only Theater of Pain

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-exhuming-tunes-christian.html

pst512

Gothtober-The Top 40 Greatest Goth Bands 40 to 31

 

All too often, people get caught up in the fashiopn and lose focus on what really matters: the music. I am putting the music center stage here and acknowledging who continues to rock stages and brings the sonic darkness to life for us to celebrate. First off, it says bands, so that eliminates solo acts and one-man shows, and some of my favorites, so no Gary Numan, Chelsea Wolfe, or Marilyn Manson. Sure, some of them have freuent collaborators, but these are at the very least duos who continued to make an impact on goth as we know it today. Some opened new doors for the genre; others are keeping the flame burning in the midnight hour into the genre's tomorrow. There are a range of sub-genres that are included under the black umbrella of goth, death rock, and dark wave being the most obvious, but I am including a few post-punk, neo-folk, metal and industrial acts if they really have Halloween flowing through their veins. 

40- 45 Grave 

Long-running death rock act is almost a one-hit wonder, but they are still a pillar of the death rock scene and are loads of fun.

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39- Zeromancer 

They helped carry 90s goth into the 2000s. 

38- Patriarchy  

This due makes sure dark music is staying sexy with their industrial-tinged dark pop bangers.

   

37-London After Midnight

Officiated the second marriage of goth rock to electronic music 

36-Sex Gang Children

The most unhinged dark punk band of the 80s

 

35- Wax Idols 

One of the few post-punk revival bands that was dark enough to become goth. 

 

34- Sisters of Mercy

You might expect them to rank higher andd while they do have a very defining sound, they are so terrible live I could not in good conscience rank them any higher as the other bands would blow them off stage with ease

   

33-Altar De Fey

The death-rock champs keep the undead genre alive; they sound more vital than ever. 

 

32- Astari Nite

The newcomers have already made an impact by proving themselves to be one of the best live bands rocking stages these days, even if they have taken on a little more of a new wave sound. 

   

 31-TSOL

Sure they started off as a punk band, and while that wa always under the surface, they gave themselves over to the darkness to transition over into death rock. 

pst511

DEAFHEAVEN : "AT WORK IN THE FIELDS OF THE BOMB"

 

This three-song EP just dropped. It leads off with the single "Hunter". This song carries a much bigger, more mainstream black metal sound. By bigger, it's slightly more fierce than Dimmu but bombastic like more recent Mayhem. George's more Cradle of Filth-like shriek leads the way and helps set them apart from sounding like everyone else, as they step away from the shoegazing to firmly plant themselves in the middle of black metal. 

Are the other two songs going to be this in-your-face? Well, I guess we'll find out. The drumming on the first song is pretty bombastic, so that sets the bar high. The second track, "Three Princes," is just under three minutes. It is just an atmospheric interlude, so these guys are not as prolific as you might think, or perhaps they should have split up the last song into two songs since it is almost 13 minutes long. 

It takes a minute for it to gather the sonic storm and shoot off into furious blasting. Granted, we know they can not keep this up for another twelve minutes, nor would we want them to. The snarl of the vocals sits further back into the guitars. The song has a hazier production qualities and is not as metal of a sound despite htey way they are hammering at you. They do more than their fair share of blasting on this one. Seven minutes in it simmers down into the atmosphere of a strummed guitar. When it kicks back in he hits a lower death metal growl. It builds into noisy ambient chaos. Overall, they are more serious about their metal side this time around; it works despite not being the first time we have heard this from them will give this an 8.5Out on Roadrunner Records.

pst510

Gothtober- AYRIA : "13 Stitches

 

• This Canadian artist is on the more upbeat EDM side of darkwave now, but there is still enough darkness lurking in the sheen to stay true to where she came from. The opening track carries a cyberpunk tempo. A moodier drama begins to creep into "Turn of the Tide".  If you are A goth who goes to Dragon Con, chances are that is where you were introduced to her. I know I was.  Perhaps she is just older and wiser, but the overall vibe is less sexual than what I remember her bringing to the table. There is a little of this on "Not My First Time," which is also a little darker. This chorus is the hookiest part of the first three songs for sure. 
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• There is more of a Euro groove to " Long Gone" that has perhaps more in common with Depeche Mode. I like Depeche Mode, but I am not sure I wnat her to sound like them. I prefer her darker, hyper-sexual previous work. There is almost an industrial element to "Vicous World"; she purrs into the song more. This version of her works for me. Then things feel more like new wave on "Manic "; this is almost too happy for me. There is more of the feeling I want from the beat of "Antihero", though the vocals feel like Madonna to me. Though she has always been a bit of a darkwave Madonna.

"Trickle Truth " has more grit in its beat and better lyrics. This groove also works better for her. It feels more like Nine Inch Nails to some extent. There is more of a techno beat to "Don't Ever Touch Me Again" . Despite the lyrics, sonically it feels more upbeat. It should be angrier. There is a subtle synthwave vibe to "Overturn". While not as dark as what I would prefer, it sounds cool and sets the stage for a more sultry vocal from her that balances this out. Not the hookiest chorus of the album. It does grow on me a little. 

Ironically, there is more of an 80s sound to "We're Not Relevant." There is a darker throb to "Mr Morals". The vocals have a more Reznor-influenced cadence. The album closes with "Turn into Gold," which finds her back in a more 80s new wave mode. It has a little more drive than most new wave and is not obsessed with capturing the sound of yesteryear. Overall, with the mature direction shifting in what she does, it works for where she is at in life now, so I will give this album a  9.  Its out on Artoffact Records. 

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pst509

'Gothtober - Exhuming the Tunes with Christian Death's"American Inquistion"

 

The 13th album that was released in 2007, is what I think of as the modern era of the band, though this one is still more industrial-leaning; they turn toward goth more on the two albums after this, which I have already reviewed for this blog, so this review is going to be the last installment of this series. There is a great deal of a build on thiss first song. They have also turned more towards politics here. "Stop Bleeding On Me"  is more metal, and this album was released on Season of Mist, so maybe they felt this direction was needed. Valor's croon sounds great, so it works for me. His melodies might not be as smooth as his early work with the band, but it works for the more rock direction here. The political things is not constant, as by the second he is back pondering about the devil. 

"Narcissus..." is equal parts driving and brooding on the verses, and the chorus fits but doesn't blow me away, but it's not a deal breaker either. "Victim x" works more off  an electronic-based industrial throb. It doesn't, but there is a cool riff that comes in to break things up. "To Disappear" benefits from a cool bass line that makes things creepier. This is contrasted by the more metallic burst of a chorus. Thematically, the theme shifts to drugs, and things get more melodic and less metal, which works too. "Seduction thy Destruction" is mainly focused on his loungy croon, not the strongest song, as they are much more interested in the exotic Middle Eastern feel of " Worship Along the Nile". It's like a moderately more metal version of Lords of Acid meets Dead Can Dance. 

"See You in Hell" is not a cover of Grim Reaper. It is gothier than the bulk of the album so far. Surprisingly less metal given the title. They even use restraint on a song called "Surviving Armageddon," which sounds like it would be metal as well, but it is the most death rock thing so far. They do bring back some more metallic guitars for "The Last Thing". It has more of an Alice in Chains grunge feel than what I have heard from them before. The last track is Alex Jones ranting over a collage of noise they woven together.I will round this one up to a 10 the modern era is under rated.  

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