Pioneers: Paradise Lost,Theatre Of Tragedy,The Gathering Gothic Metal: Paradise Lost started it when they released their album Gothic in 1991 which used soprano vocals mixed with the death growls. Gothic Metal, as it is meant today, is usually a mixing of DeathDoom Metal riffing with moody keyboards and female vocals, sometimes mixed with aggressive growling from a male vocalist, sometimes not. (The combination has been called 'Beauty and the Beast vocals').The genre is very loosely defined, and many bands that are essentially atmospheric rock or PowerSymphonic Metal with female singers are labeled Gothic. Mostly what is referred to as Gothic Metal these days is not really Gothic at all. Tags: female the gathering nightwish epica lacuna coil within temptation leaves eyes tarja turunen XANDRIA after forever lacrimosa elis Cry For The Moon nemo our truth elegy ravenheart Energize Me