No matter how many records I buy, I always want more. And no matter how often I have listened to "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas“ or "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark“ or even "Transilvanian Hunger“, I am still constantly looking for new and exciting music that evokes the same feeling in me. Most music these days is stale and predictable, but there are always exceptions to the rule, in any genre. VANAD VARJUD, a Black Metal band from Estonia, is somewhere between these worlds. They aren’t bad, but they aren’t great either – but in times like these, I am happy to listen to contemporary stuff that doesn’t suck, it doesn’t even have to be outstanding. "Dismal Grandeur In Nocturnal Aura“ starts off slow, calm and doomy, like the beginning of a funeral procession, but said funeral procession seems to have taken a short cut to the next tittie bar where things are bright and cheery. No song is under 10 minutes, and while me, a stoner if there ever was one, knows how to enjoy a good drawn out opera of a song, this goes nowhere. The riffing is that of a school band that has only recently discovered a SATYRICON CD in a shopping mall. The vocals are soulless, but not in the vein of Fenriz’ satanic poetry devoid of any feelings, just soulless. I mean, it’s okay. A McDonald’s burger is okay as well if you’re hungry, but my record shelf is filled with gems, so why would I reach for a cheap burger if I can have a tasty steak? Speaking of which, the last song on this album is called ‘Gloomy Sunday’, and I was honestly thinking of booking a flight to Tallinn with a Billie Holiday record in my bag to teach them a thing or two about gloom and artistic grandeur. It’s only 99 Euros now, I looked it up. But these 99 Euros could be invested in good records instead, so I’ll just stick to that. www.facebook.com/vanadvarjud, https://symbolofdomination.bandcamp.com, www.satanath.com