The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Clad in black, heavily painted with pale make-up and dark eyeliner, the goth's way of life is not usually associated with a church service unless, that is, it is being conducted by the Rev Marcus Ramshaw.



The associate vicar at St Edward King and Martyr church in Cambridge, himself a goth, holds a 45-minute service complete with candles and a specially written liturgy for members of the goth community. There are no hymns but goth music is played instead, including artists such as Depeche Mode, Joy Division and the Sisters of Mercy, said Mr Ramshaw, 34.



"The service seeks to find new ways of making the life of the church meaningful to people from alternative, and particularly goth, communities," he said.



"We've been piloting it for a year. It is a service in which people are encouraged to be truly honest about their feelings. I thought it could be one way of encouraging people into church that wasn't Bible bashing and would show people Christianity can provide hope and support."



After the service, most of the congregation go to a goth evening at the nearby Kambar nightclub called, appropriately enough, the Calling.

THE REV



James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009), more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. He was also the lead vocalist/pianist in Pinkly Smooth, a side project where he was known by the name Rat Head, with fellow Avenged Sevenfold member, guitarist Synyster Gates.







DIMEBAG DARRELL



Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as "Diamond Darrell", and "Dimebag Darrell" (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004) was an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. He also performed in the southern metal band Rebel Meets Rebel.



Abbott frequently appeared in guitar magazines and in readers' polls, and wrote a long-running Guitar World magazine column, which was compiled into the book Riffer Madness. He was praised for his tone and was included in "The 50 Greatest Tones of All Time" by Guitar Player magazine. Remembered for his amiable nature and rapport with fans, Abbott was described by Allmusic as "one of the most influential stylists in modern metal." On December 8, 2004, Abbott was murdered on stage during a Damageplan performance at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.







RONNIE JAMES DIO



Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser Hear 'n Aid. He was widely hailed as the most powerful singer in heavy metal,renowned for his consistently powerful voice. He consistently ranks as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time in various online polls and lists. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture in metal culture. Prior to his death, he was collaborating on a project with former Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, under the moniker Heaven & Hell, whose only studio album, The Devil You Know, was released on April 28, 2009. Dio died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010.One of the last songs he recorded was titled "Metal Will Never Die".







PETER STEELE



Petrus Thomas Ratajczyk (January 4, 1962 – April 14, 2010), better known by his stage name Peter Steele, was the lead singer, bassist, and composer for the gothic metal band Type O Negative. Before joining Type O Negative, he played for the metal group Fallout and the thrash band Carnivore.



As the frontman for Type O Negative, Steele was known for his vampiric looks, towering height, rich bass-baritone vocals, and a dark, often self-deprecating sense of humor. His lyrics were often intensely personal, dealing with subjects including love, loss, and addiction. Steele credited Black Sabbath and The Beatles as his key musical inspirations.







ROCK IN PEACE