Gothic Western

The mixture of goth and western music has brooding and dark motifs interwoven into cowboy culture while incorporating themes of death, occult and superstition.[1] Crossover elements are seen in gothic country, but are unique to experiences of the American frontier including western Mexico. The music encompasses storytelling and the cultural diversity of instrumentation associated with the American frontier.[2] The spaghetti western sound of Ennio Morricone is influential to the genre.[3] Pioneers of the genre include Johnny Cash (the man in black), Jim Morrison, and groups like Fields of Nephilim[4] and Heathen Apostles.

In literature,[5] the stereotype of the heroic cowboy gives way to a more complex antihero who has experienced trauma or is overcoming personal tragedy, and often associated to the darker side of weird west monsters and villainy.[6] The novel The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western by Richard Brautigan was one of the first to incorporate the term in its title,[7] while Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy and The Dark Tower by Stephen King are also popular examples of the genre. In the young adult series, The Goodbye Family by Lorin Morgan-Richards has been considered gothic western with an element of humor.[8]

In television, Penny Dreadful season three is considered an example of gothic western with vampires invading the west.[9] John Carpenter, who co-wrote the gothic western El Diablo, speaks of the unique quality of the genre, noting it is not the same as a western horror.[10]

Several games have been promoted as gothic western, including Darkwatch and West of Dead.[11]

Gothic western fashion is a mix of western wear with goth or Victorian era mourning attire, incorporating black and leather elements.[12]