Metal can be divided into many different genres, but there are mainly four that prevailed to the present day: Death, Black, Doom and Oldschool. There are countless sub-varieties.

Black and Doom are probably the ones that you have to seriously consider, since followers of Death and Oldschool are mainly interested in metal and beer. Black is a lot more artful, sometimes extremely hateful and violent, sometimes majestic in its execution. It bears a lot of similarities to the Goth culture - a fascination with darkness, occult, paganism and death. Fans pretty much look Goth, with black/bondage outfits, black tees and longsleeves, spikes and chains and most notably gholish makeup (which currently is going out of 'style'). Mainly due to the efforts of a British band called "Cradle Of Filth" (who started out as a purely BM act) Black Metal is often mixed up with the Goth culture by mainstream media. Supreme examples of BM are: Emperor, Mayhem, Burzum, Dimmu Borgir (all from Norway), Dissection, Bathory (Sweden), Behemoth (Poland), and Absu (USA).

Doom metal is not so popular these days, but is even closer to Goth than any other form of metal. The musical style is slow, often very heavy, with deep male or operatic female vocals. Lyrical themes include neo-gothic romanticism, darkness, death and a lot more. Can't really bring you many examples, because I am not into it, but Black Sabbath, if they were around today would be classified as Doom. An excellent band called Orphanage and one called "Mental Home" (Russia) are other examples. A lot of Death and Black bands often do a Doomy album, before switching to other styles. Fans (a lot of girls here) look basically like other metal fans, or gothic.

Unfortunately metallers often have an elitist attitude towards other subcultures and do not mix. Some (especialy Dimmu Borgir and Cradle Of Filth fans) don't mind attending the occasional goth club as do some of the more hardcore fans. On the other hand a lot of the younger metallers seem to be quite well educated, into poetry and obscure dark literature (Anton LaVey, A. Crowley, books on demonism and black magic, Nietzche, etc). Most are university students and hold down a job or two (to support their ever-growing CD collections :] ).

Famous doom metal bands:

My Dying Bride
Catheddral
Lake Of Tears
Em Sinfonia
Celestrial Season
Theatre of Tragedy
Ashes You Leave
In Ruins