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.[1]
Reception
Porta Obscura received mixed reviews from the critics. A review by the Dutch Lords of Metal website complained about a lack of "remarkable compositions".[2] The German edition of Metal Hammer compared the style to Nightwish with influences of medieval metal and lauded the accomplished production.[3] Metal Perspective's reviewer called the album "below average, providing only weak, typical and uninspiring moments"[4] 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.[5] The Austrian webzine Stormbringer was positive about the compositions but asked for a more distinctive original input from the band.[6]
Track listing
| 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 |
Personnel
- Carmen R. Schäfer - Vocals
- Ada Flechtner - Vocals
- Jo Lang - Guitars
- Fabian Merkt - Keyboards & Programming
- Chriz diAnno - Bass
- Mats Kurth - Drums
Info
- Mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.[7][4]
- The songwriting started when the soprano singer Carmen R. Schäfer was pregnant. Before finishing it she gave birth to her daughter, Beatrice Anita.[1][8]
References
