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