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First, MCR, AFI, and Avenged Sevenfold are neither emo nor alternative. "Alternative" isn't a real genre to begin with, but is an umbrella term which refers to non-traditional genres. MCR is powerpop. AFI was hardcore for sometime, and most recently, has become powerpop as well. Avenged Sevenfold is post-hardcore, also known as metalcore.

Second, yes, I know this is long. But I hand wrote it, and it's all very useful information, so I suggest you read it all.

What does goth-rock sound like you may ask? Here's some good identifying factors:

-Light, stacatto drums (rims & cymbals in particular)
-Prominent, bold bass-guitar (typically holding the melody, unlike almost every other form of rock which has electric guitar holding the melody)
-Heavily distorted, warped, and swirling guitar
-Deep, crooning [male] vocal style (best represented by Peter Murphy, Ian Curtis, or Andrew Eldritch)
-High, wavering [female] vocal style (best represented by Melora Creager)
-Fluid, poetic lyrics, with such subjects as existentialism, love, life, death, and revenge.

Other factors which are common, but not definitive of the genre:

-Atmospheric keyboard instruments (piano, harpsichord, and pipe-organ are all equally common)
-Hollow, processed synthesizers
-Full latin choirs
-Multi-layered backing vocals
-Sweeping violins
-Ominous cello/concert-bass

Best examples of the genre's sound:
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" ~ Bauhaus
"Shadowplay" ~ Joy Division
"We're So Happy" ~ Danse Society
"The Mercy Seat" ~ Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

To put it more simply, Goth rock is a genre of rock characterized by an ominous, lugubrious instrumental style and poetic lyricism.

What are some goth-bands?

Early Influences (Proto-goth, so to speak):
- Adam and the Ants
- Gloria Mundi
- David Bowie
- Alice Cooper
- The Cramps
- The Damned
- The Doors
- The Germs
- Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
- Iggy and the Stooges
- Mott the Hoople
- New York Dolls
- The Rocky Horror [/Picture] Show
- Velvet Underground

The three major pillars of goth-rock:
- Joy Division
- Bauhaus
- Siouxsie and the Banshees

Other Major Goth-rock Groups and Artists:
- The Cure
- The Cramps
- Sisters of Mercy
- The Mission UK
- Virgin Prunes
- Tones on Tail
- Love & Rockets
- Dali's Car
- Fields of Nephilim
- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- The Creatures
- Christian Death
- Black Tape for a Blue Girl
- Clan of Xymox
- The Damned
- Danse Society
- Nosferatu
- Gene Loves Jezebel
- Flesh for Lulu
- Echo and the Bunnymen
- Killing Joke
- Lords of the New Church
- Southern Death Cult
- Voltaire
- Xmal Deutschland
- The March Violets
- Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
- London After Midnight

Bands that are not goth-rock, but take influence from goth-rock (such as "She Wants Revenge", who took strong influence from Joy Division) or have ties to the culture (such as Ministry, who were wildly popular in the goth-club scene in the early 80's):
- Alien Sex Fiend
- Tori Amos
- The 69 Eyes
- HIM
- She Wants Revenge
- Ministry
- The Death Cult
- The Cult
- My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult
- The Cruxshadows
- Rasputina
- New Model Army
- Einsturdzen Nuebauten
- Laibach
- Inkubbus SUkkubus
- VNV Nation
- :wumpscut:
- Type O Negative
- Interpol

Bands Which Are NOT Goth-rock but are commonly called it:
- A Perfect Circle
- AFI
- Aiden
- The Birthday Massacre
- Cradle of Filth
- Dimmu Borgir
- Evanescence
- funkerVOGT
- Good Charlotte
- Hatebreed
- HIM
- Insane Clown Posse
- Interpol
- Jack Off Jill
- KoRn
- Lacuna Coil
- Linkin Park
- Malice Mizer
- Marilyn Manson
- Megadeth
- Mudvayne
- My Chemical Romance
- Nightwish
- Nine Inch Nails
- Nocturne
- Rammstein
- Razed In Black
- Scarling
- Skinny Puppy
- Slipknot
- Tool
- VNV Nation
- :wumpscut:
- Within Temptation

Is Gothic Metal Related to Goth-rock?

Other than the similar name, no, not musically. They occasionally have similar thematic or aesthetic elements, but have no musical affiliation.

Why is _________ not on the goth-rock list!?! / Why is ________ on the not-goth-rock list!?!?!

Simply because they either don't fit into the musical parameters of the genre of goth-rock. In the case that something isn't listed at all, I probably didn't feel it was important enough to list it, or I forgot.

If you have any specific questions on why one band is goth-rock or another is not, feel free to ask.

________ band you listed isn't goth rock, but is _________ genre. What gives?

The bands I listed have, at some point, released a goth-rock album. Yeah, the Cure put out a lot of pop. They also put out Pornography, perhaps the most bleak goth-rock album ever written. Yeah, Christian Death mostly produced death-rock, but Ashes was mostly goth-rock. Et' Cetera.

I've heard people use the terms "Death-rock", "Gothic Metal", "Darkwave", "Dark Cabaret", "Gothabilly/Psychobilly", (etc.). What do they mean, and what do they have to do with goth-rock?

Deathrock: Deathrock was a style of dark, bleak punk developed in America in the early 80's. Christian Death and .45 Grave pioneered the genre. Though similar to horror-punk, the death-rock scene was most similar to goth-rock, and was eventually absorbed into it.

Gothic Metal: Not really related to goth-rock at all, gothic-metal likewise takes it's name from the literary genre "Gothic Horror". Though the two genres have occassionally similar aesthetic and thematic elements, they have no connection musically, the scene overlap isn't large.

Darkwave: The 80's borne "new wave", a style of synthesizer driven pop. Darkwave was it's antithesis. Driven by distant, foreboding synthesizers and distorted vocals, darkwave can somewhat be compared to "Electronica x Goth-rock". It's spawned a large following, and has many bands, including (most notably) Cruxshadows.

Dark Cabaret: An odd revival of cabaret decadence, dark-cabaret could easily be compared to "goth rock with a burlesque 20's flair". Siouxsie started the genre in the 80's, and has been since picked up by Voltaire, Humanwine, and other such groups.

Gothabilly/Psychobilly: First, gothabilly is really just a nickname for psychobilly. Now, psychobilly you see was the odd overlap between rockabilly (classic, country influence rock, like Johnny Cash) and goth-rock. Originally developed by the Cramps and the Meteors, the scene and genre has been almost entirely absorbed by goth.

Got any more questions? Ask them here so I can help others.

if by killed you mean ansewered in an informative and eloquent way..yes

Inkubbus Sukkubus draws from and represents many different genres in their body of work. I wouldn't really say that any given band is just ONE genre, and this also applies to Inkubbus Sukkubus.

I.S. definetly has goth-rock influences, though, I would say that the majority of their work represents symphonic metal or symphonic hard-rock.

Thank you for clarifying that up for us.... Everybody keeps annoying me about saying this and that about this band or genre they belong in..... I'm very happy that sum1 [other than me, and smarter than me] cleared this subject up.... [much appresiated]