Porta Obscura

Porta Obscura is the second studio album by German gothic metal band Coronatus. It contains 11 tracks plus 2 bonus tracks included in the limited edition digipak which was released along with the standard edition. Those bonus tracks are "Flos Obscura", a new recorded Latin version of the track "Dunkle Blume" from their last album, Lux Noctis, and "Volles Leben", the band's first song in its initial form with male vocals.[2]

Porta Obscura
Studio album by
Coronatus
Released14 November 2008[1]
Recorded2008
StudioKlangschmiede Studio E in Mellrichstadt, Germany
GenreGothic metal
Length45:23
LabelMassacre
ProducerCoronatus
Coronatus chronology
Lux Noctis
(2007)		 Porta Obscura
(2008)		 Fabula Magna
(2009)

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Lords of Metal67/100[3]
Metal.de5/10[4]
Metal Hammer (Germany)6/7[5]
Metal Perspective[6]
Stormbringer[7]

Porta Obscura received mixed reviews from the critics. A review by the Dutch Lords of Metal website complained about a lack of "remarkable compositions".[3] The German edition of Metal Hammer compared the style to Nightwish with influences of medieval metal and lauded the accomplished production.[5] Metal Perspective's reviewer called the album "below average, providing only weak, typical and uninspiring moments"[6] while the German Sonic Seducer magazine marked a considerable improvement of the vocal arrangements compared to Coronatus' first album and praised the multiple musical hues on Porta Obscura.[8] The Austrian webzine Stormbringer was positive about the compositions but asked for a more distinctive original input from the band.[7]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Prologue"1:57
2."Exitus"4:00
3."Fallen"6:50
4."In Silence"4:22
5."Beauty in Black"4:36
6."Cast My Spell"5:09
7."In Your Hands"2:41
8."Mein Herz"3:16
9."Am Kreuz"4:39
10."Der Vierte Reiter"4:30
11."Strahlendster Erster"3:23
12."Flos Obscura" (bonus track)5:14
13."Volles Leben" (bonus track)3:56
Total length:54:33

Personnel
  • Carmen R. Schäfer – vocals
  • Ada Flechtner – vocals
  • Jo Lang – guitars
  • Aria Keramati Noori – guitars
  • Fabian Merkt – keyboards & programming
  • Chriz diAnno – bass
  • Mats Kurth – drums

Info
  • Mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.[9][6]
  • The songwriting started when the soprano singer Carmen R. Schäfer was pregnant. Before finishing it she gave birth to her daughter, Beatrice Anita.[2][10]

References
  1. "Coronatus: New Album Title, Release Date Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. Press info sheet from Massacre Records
  3. "Coronatus - Porta Obscura" (in Dutch). Lords of Metal.nl. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  4. Stephan (11 December 2008). "Coronatus - Porta Obscura". Metal.de (in German). Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. "Coronatus - Porta Obscura" (in German). 1 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  6. Tsakonas, Giannis (24 August 2010). "Coronatus - Porta Obscura". Metal Perspective.com. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  7. Poultidis, Dimitrios (1 December 2008). "Coronatus - Porta Obscura (CD)" (in German). Stormbringer.at. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  8. Eck, Markus (2008). "Coronatus - Porta Obscura". Sonic Seducer (in German). No. 12. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013.
  9. Official Coronatus site - Discography
  10. Official Coronatus site - News Archived 28 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
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