In the 90's, there were many attempts to create a blend between aspects of Black Metal and Doom Metal, but it wasn't an easy task to be done, because there were a set of similarities that would fall in Atmospheric Black Metal (with a heavier load of Black Metal influences) or classic Doom Metal outfit (due the crude approach). It's not only a matter of different vocals tunes (in other words, putting the vocalist to use shrieked voices). But there were some successes that pointed the way, as Swedish TRISTITIA shown on "One with Darkness", but even today isn't so simple to do such mix. But the German quartet BECULTED shows it on "Arcane Manifestations".

The band uses a nasty and crude musical model that is common to Black Metal acts, and fills it with many Doom Metal and Sludge Metal influences, creating a balance between both genres. And there are parts with a deeper and oppressive melancholic scent as well, so they find a form of musical expression that can be labeled as 'Doom Black Metal'. And be prepared for a puke of nasty, crude and somber energy in your ears. The production, as one can suppose from the beginning. It's something crude and organic, creating a somber and morbid sonority that can be said as traditional for Old School Black Metal acts, but with instrumental tunes that has extreme resemblance with classic Doom Metal acts as SAINT VITUS and WITHFINDER GENERAL as well. It's good, but could be better in some aspects.

This release shows three songs with lengths that are above 10 minutes, so it's hard for fans that aren't used to such musical expression. But "Geborgenheit" (with an outfit where Doom Metal influences are clearer due the slow paced tempos and the melancholic ambiences supported by strong guitars), "Caustic Marrow" (that's more into an Old School Black Metal tendency, with classic tempos of the genre in good and solid work on the rhythms created by bass guitar and drums) and "Ardor" (this is a fine combination between Doom Metal and Black metal influences, with transitions of tempos, and good and spine-chilling shrieks) are good tracks for those there are into such musical genres.

Well, BECULTED shows on "Arcane Manifestations" a great potential to create their own path in the near future. But for now, it's a good album to be enjoyed by extreme Metal fans.