By Sophia Mercado
The HU combines modernity with the past. The HU is a band from Mongolia that combines heavy metal and traditional Mongolian music. The HU shares the rich culture and sound of Mongolia through their new style of music.
There is a global appeal of The HU as they were recently featured on Metallica’s 30-year anniversary of “Black Album” and finishing their world tour.
Their use of Mongolian instruments, such as, morin kurr, tovshuur and throat singing, mesh together traditional folk sounds to modern heavy metal music. Their innovative style is called “hunnu rock,” named after the Mongolian root word “hu,” meaning human being.
“We took the name because of the inclusive nature, it’s not about being Mongolian. It’s about being human,” The HU said in an interview with The Guardian.
In an interview with Saetori, The HU shared that Tengri inspires their music and lyrics. Tengri is the supreme, omniscient god of shamanistic religion, Tengriism. The HU embodies in the music videos and lyrics the Tengriism’s respect for ancestors and nature in songs such as, “The Great Chinggis Khaan” and “Yuve Yuve Yu.”
In “The Great Chinggis Khaan,” The HU pays respect to the goals and accomplishments of Genghis Khan. They wanted to highlight how he was “an inventor and a founding father of [Mongolia] rather than the worldly view of him as a warrior and conqueror.”
“Yuve Yuve Yu,” a song about respecting Mongolian elders by protecting Mongolia’s nature, is The HU’s most watched music video on YouTube. In the video The HU are dedicated to showcasing Mongolia’s beauty. The HU invested a considerable amount of time and effort to shoot at locations all around Mongolia and their harsh temperatures.
The HU shares the values of their culture while also appealing to the popular Western point of view through their song, “Song of Women.” The HU created this song to praise women and encourage them to pursue their dreams.
The HU’s songs about respecting nature and people are not exclusive to Tengrists. While sharing the beliefs of their culture, their lyrics resonate with people across the globe. The HU demonstrates the importance of respecting and connecting with others while being true to yourself.
Check out their latest album “The Gereg” on Spotify and other streaming services to further appreciate their messages and unique sound.
