The Hu

The Hu

The Hu are a Mongolian folk metal band from Ulaanbaatar, active since 2016. The group’s line-up includes Dashka, Enkush, Gala, Jaya and Temka. They describe their music as “hunnu rock”, and their sound combines folk metal, folk rock, heavy metal and metal with central Asian throat singing.

Style and name

The band uses traditional Mongolian instruments such as the morin khuur and tovshuur, alongside Mongolian throat singing. Their lyrics also draw on old Mongolian war cries and poetry. The group name comes from the Hunnu, an ancient Mongol empire known in Western usage as the Xiongnu. “Hu” is said to mean “human” in Mongol.

Releases and recognition

Two of the band’s videos, “Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Wolf Totem”, gain a large online audience. “Wolf Totem” reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, making The Hu the first Mongolian musical act to top a Billboard chart. “Yuve Yuve Yu” reaches No. 7 on the same chart, while “Wolf Totem” also enters the Hot Rock Songs chart.

The band’s third single, “Shoog Shoog”, appears as a lyric video, and their fourth single, “The Great Chinggis Khaan”, follows as a music video. Their debut album, The Gereg, takes its title from the diplomatic passport used in the time of Genghis Khan and is released internationally on Eleven Seven Records.

Collaborations, touring and later activity

The Hu tour Europe and North America in 2019. They also release new versions and remixes of earlier songs with Danny Case of From Ashes to New, Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. Their song “Black Thunder”/“Sugaan Essena” is featured in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

The band meets Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, who congratulates them on promoting the country, and later receives Mongolia’s highest state award, the Order of Genghis Khan, for promoting Mongolian culture worldwide. They also upload a fundraising concert for COVID-19 relief to YouTube.