Is goth music more then just metal?

I think metal is rarely gothic but people think it is. Real gothic rock music is a darker brand of post-punk but I think the best type of gothic music that is still true to its original roots is the guitar driven sound of the Sisters of Mercy which is post-punky but influenced by metal. So gothic metal is this kind of sound but with emphasis on heaviness and the guitars rather than keyboards and synthesizers. For example with Type O Negative.

Most people think melodic death/black metal is gothic but it isn't; it doesn't have any connection to original gothic rock genre. But then some bands like Cradle of Filth are influenced by gothic metal because their lyrics can be like gothic literature (a la Edgar Allen Poe) but I'd say their sound is still rooted in death/black metal.

Then there are bands like Nightwish which in my opinion aren't gothic. Just because they include orchestral elements and keyboards and stuff doesn't mean they are gothic. Likewise with female-fronted metal. Although the tying of beauty (female vocals or keyboards) and brutality (heavy or extreme metal) could be seen as gothic... but not in my opinion.

Sorry for short essay and blunt manner, I just got in from college and I'm in a blunt mood...

I think the \"gothic\"-ness of a band comes more from the lyrics and subject matter than the music. Just because a band sounds heavy, doesn't mean they're necessarily gothic.

And I think there are way too many sub-categories of metal these days... seems like every band has it's own genre now!