Porta Obscura

Porta Obscura
Studio album by Coronatus
Released	14 November 2008 [1]
Recorded	2008
Studio	Klangschmiede Studio E in Mellrichstadt, Germany
Genre	Gothic metal
Length	45:23
Label	Massacre
Producer	Coronatus
Coronatus chronology
Lux Noctis (2007) Porta Obscura (2008) Fabula Magna (2009)

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]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Lords of Metal	67/100 [3]
Metal.de	5/10 [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.	Title	Length
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 ^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
3. "Coronatus - Porta Obscura" (in Dutch). Lords of Metal.nl. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. 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. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. 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 ^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
10. Official Coronatus site - News ^[usurped]