THE HU 'Hun'

THE HU
Hun
Better Noise Records

Chanting!
Unique string arrangements!
And wall-to-wall sound!

Not to be phonetically confused with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend’s well-known ongoing classic rock band as they’re from Mongolia and have only been a band since 2016, THE HU(It’s Mongolian for “human beings”) have emerged as one of the genre’s most innovative-sounding purveyors of folk metal. But they’re not just your regular-sounding folk metal band that our pagan Scandinavian brethren in metal occasionally produce every half decade or so; they’re straight out of the Mongolian State Music And Dance Conservatory, which is like the south-east Asian equivalent of MIT for throat singing and traditional Mongolian music. Formed by singer Bayarmagnai “Dashka” Dashdondog who later acquired on the role as songwriter and producer, THE HU incorporate both their traditional sounds with Western musical influences – particularly those of the heavy-sounding musical persuasion. Know of any other Mongolian folk metal bands that have released such neat throat-singing renditions of “The Trooper” that they’ve even attracted the attention of IRON MAIDEN to tour with them? I’d say that I’ll wait for an answer to such a question but THE HU have long since responded to that call and reversed those charges in the form of several high-profile tours, a couple of collaborations with the likes of Jacoby Shaddix of PAPA ROACH (“Wolf Totem”) and Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM (“Song For Women”) among others and two studio albums with a third disc along the way titled Hun. Yet while Dashka has brought his own role further into the background on this album with his production duties, he is also giving the rest of the band a greater opportunity to showcase their talents more. And the rest of the band – Galbadrakh “Gala” Tsendbaatar, Nyamjantsan “Jaya” Galsanjamts, Enkhsaikhan “Enkush” Batjargal and Temuulen “Temka” Naranbaatar – do a fine job in sharing the performing/singing duties throughout this album. Certainly, thus far in their career, Hun is definitely the most collaborative and collective album to date.

Credit for the collaboration goes to Jonny Hawkins, frontman for Texas-based band NOTHING MORE, who duets on THE HU’s first single “Lost Soul”. Both him and the band deliver a solid performance but it’s Gala, Jaya, Enkush and Temka who rightfully command the driving number, which is one of only two songs throughout the album sung in English, with the second track being the METALLICA-inspired stomping furor of “Grey Hun” featuring some admittedly wild morin khuur (Mongolian string instrument) solos. Gala’s own commanding performance is particularly evident on the opening number “Warrior’s Chant”, the thundering gallop of “Horseman”, the throat-singing dominance of “The Men”, and the experimentalism of “Echoes Of My Father” and “Shadow”, with the latter appearing to transcend the intro to “Gold Dust Woman”. HU-er, who knew that FLEETWOOD MAC had any type of following at all in Mongolia? But those dulcet tones of the tumurkhuur or jaw harp on that song and throughout the entire album somehow harkens back to that rustic 70’s sound. Even Roger Daltrey’s played a jaw harp on “Join Together” which also bears a bit of sonic similarities to “Shadow”. 

Equally as notable on Hun is the nearly 9-minute long aptly-titled number “Universe”, with its slow vastly infinite-sounding ambient background guiding the rhythm along nicely at a steady beat, channeling the band’s ongoing foray into prog territory. Yet while it makes for an occasional challenge to listen to throughout due to its length, it’s the ideal song for first-time listeners to see THE HU branch out from its familiar rock findings.

Overall, while balancing a delicate line between their Western musical influences and their strong cultural identity, THE HU have already established themselves as one of modern rock’s most uniquely appealing and down-to-earth bands. Hun is the further sound of the band seizing control of their navigational circle of life and guiding themselves through history and time.

4.5 Out Of 5.0

https://www.thehuofficial.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thehuofficial
https://www.facebook.com/thehuofficial/
https://x.com/thehuofficial