This is my first encounter with the Italian masters of ritualistic and symphonic extreme metal that are Darkend and right off the bat, I might as well tell you that I am utterly impressed with this haunting six-track affair of theirs. "Spiritual Resonance" is primarily rooted in black metal and yet it moves beyond the confines of said genre and is more progressive and untraditional than what one might be led to believe when glancing at its cover artwork or song titles. You will discover majestic choruses ala the bone-chillingly beautiful one in "The Three Ghouls Buried at Golgotha" as well as deeply unsettling passages that conjure up wild and eccentric visions of the forbidden. While the elegantly sinister melodies are strong and riddled with bombast, the somewhat psychedelic waves of synthesizers add color and a sense of the surreal to the proceedings, and the orchestrated elements that loom large in the overall sound-scape are tasteful. The female vocals courtesy of the talented Lindy-Fay Hella (Wardruna) present in "With Everburning Sulphur Unconsumed" are strangely seductive and elevate the piece to a higher realm. Speaking of vocals, they are as accomplished as the musicianship is in general and these skilled dudes certainly know how to implement and use chants, screams, and spoken words to great effect. The peaks of the album are quite powerful and the its epic proportions as well as its balance between emotion and craftsmanship is truly admirable.