Mongolian metal band The Hu take Europe by storm with unique live performances
- Fans at the Eurockeennes festival in Belfort, France, were wowed by the rockers’ mix of traditional Mongolian throat singing and heavy metal
- After their shows in Europe, the band will play a nine-date tour in the US in October
The four long-haired, leather-clad Mongolians, who have been hailed for their mesmerising live performances, grew up listening to a mix of metal and rock, from Metallica to the Foo Fighters.
But while their Western idols belt out songs about love lost and the meaning of the universe, The Hu, who rocked the Eurockeennes festival in the eastern French city of Belfort last Thursday, sing about upholding Mongolian traditions and respect for their ancestors.
After the Eurockeennes show, the band went onto to play dates in Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
What makes the head-banging foursome particularly compelling is that three of the four – Gala, Enkush and Jaya – do traditional Mongolian throat singing, or khoomei, usually only performed during ritual ceremonies.
“That style, we call it ‘hunnu rock’. ‘Hunnu’ means ‘human’ in the Mongolian language. But it is also inspired by the Hunnu, the ancient Mongolian empire,” says Gala, who plays the morin khuur, a two-stringed fiddle prominent in Mongolia’s nomad culture.