Ok, well when I was wee lad I really used to like Cruelty and the Beast and marginally less Dusk and Her Embrace. Many years have passed and that phase has passed and along the way the band have become a silly parody of their already cheesy selves. Not to mention the music has suffered tremendously losing almost all actual guitar based melody. Anyway, I found myself wanting to go back and be nostalgic for a bit but thought why not just see what else might be out there that was as good or better than the previously mentioned albums. As a precursor, I do know a fair amount of metal and most of the Cof clones out there. So what I am looking for is something that maybe flew under the radar in the melodic somewhat depressive/romantic sympho/gotho black metal scene.

no Tvangeste(already like them) Hecate enthroned, Sins of Thy Beloved, Tristania

Think more depressive but still black metal oriented and less romantic..vampiric is ok I guess

Not sure about vampiric, but quite gothic and depressive is Forest of Shadow. Check out Eternal Autumn (the song).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSnxRzh8scM

It's kinda black/doom/gothic with melody.

Moonspell should be right up your alley. Also try out Distorted (very gothic) and Dark Lunacy.

Theatres des Vampires, their old stuff.

Enslavement of Beauty are a pretty good gothc/black band....You may lke Dragonlord and lllnath too, especally the latter there. (its illnath)

I like early Illnath, try checking them out. and check out Graveworm, preferably their earlier stuff.