One of the Great Old Ones of goth music, Clan of Xymox was formed in Holland in 1984. Their music (along with that of bands like Bauhaus and Attrition) provided the foundation for the subcategory of goth music known as "gothic rock": that is, rock music with strong, harsh beats and synthesizer effects, but lacking the guitar-driven sound of heavy metal, and possessed of more poetic lyrics. Later gothic rock bands such as London After Midnight and the Marrionettes can imitate, but never improve upon their style or their technical proficiency.
Clan of Xymox has been active, in one form or another, continuously since 1984. They did go through an 8-year period where they were known simply as "Xymox", but they went back to their old name in 1997.