Well....
I like the Aegis best, but some metalheads would't agree with me, cause Theatre of Tragedy debut(same tiltle,1995) and sophomore Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996) are more Metal, and the Aegis is album that spread the word about gothic metal among the people who aren't into metal at all and like female vocals.
Interesting access(sorry, cannot remember some other term) to the lyrics, about Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet( in old English, adoring Shakespeare and all that), there were a 7 of them in the early days(now slimmed down to 5 piece I think).
Latest Musique(released last year on Nuclear Blast; the first three are on Massacre records) is really crap, I mean SHIT, don't even TRY to like it.
I mean, I AM openminded when it's music, but that album hasn't any quality, you know. They just sound cheap.
But the Aegis is really awesome, maybe a nice start for you.
But if you are more into doomy sound, check out the Theatre of Tragedy and Velvet Darkness first.
As you are from USA, I don't have any idea where could you get it.
If you want to make order online, check out
www.emp.de ,
they have some amazing stuff.