Deathrock, also known as Death punk, is a term used to identify an offshoot of 1970s punk rock subculture in America. Despite similar genre names, Deathrock has very little in common with death metal. Deathrock should also not be confused with shock rock.
Deathrock is often compared with the early Gothic rock/Gothic punk scene in the United Kingdom, both acoustically and aesthetically.
The Romanticism of Gothic rock is characteristic of Deathrock, though the scene draws heavily from punk subculture, horror movies, Gothic literature and artwork . The influence of punk and fascination with horror aids in distinguishing death rock from Gothic rock, though some death rock bands do not incorporate horror or traditional punk ethic into their style.
Generally speaking, death rock first appeared on the American West Coast in the late 1970s, particularly in Los Angeles with bands such as Voodoo Church, 45 Grave and Christian Death. The style later appeared in cities across the United States and other areas of the world in the early to mid 1980s.
As the modern goth scene has drifted further away from its punk roots with EBM, techno, fetishism, shock rock and nu metal, many new punk-influenced goth bands have (and continue) to appear in the underground as a reaction to this trend. Cinema Strange , The Brides , and Bella Morte are relatively popular examples of modern death rock bands.
Lists of Deathrock Bands
Related Genres
Subcultural Fashion
Web Zines
Articles
Deathrock Festivals
Club Nights