Live: The Hu @ Empire Live, 05/14/2022

By Mark Hudson On May 16, 2022

Hu’s on first? No, actually The Hu were headlining at Empire Live this Saturday; The Haunt were on first. The South Florida band’s frenetic brand of alt hard rock, fronted by the powerful vocals of Anastasia Grace, went down well with the good-natured crowd. But it was clear who the near-capacity audience had come to see; chants of “Hu! Hu! Hu!” continually broke out and swirled around the venue.

And then, in a haze of smoke, they appeared, looking like something out of Game of Thrones if that had been set in East Asia rather than Westeros. For The Hu are a unique beast – a Mongolian folk rock heavy metal band. What sets them apart from – well, just about every other band you can think of – is not just their place of origin, but the traditional Mongolian instruments they play.

The 4 core members form their frontline. From left to right we have: Temka – tovshuur (a 2 stringed lute guitar) and backing vocals, Gala – lead throat singer and morin khuur (a horsehead fiddle), Jaya – lead vocals, tumu huur (jaw harp), and tsuur (a flute), and Enkush – lead morin khuur and vocals. Got that?

Live, they are augmented by four other musicians; a drummer, percussionist, bassist, and guitarist. And what an otherworldly sound they make. The two morin khuurs weaving in and out of the music like tortured cellos from purgatory, the throat singing alternately droning and then packing a searing
guttural punch equal to any death metal growler.

The songs are all in Mongolian (I assume, there may be some Russian in there as well) and The Hu do not elaborate. Their command of English seems pretty much limited to “Thank you so much!” which they shout happily throughout the show, genuinely touched by the support. Music, as ever, transcends language as it does borders. You may not understand what The Hu are singing, but you “get” what they are singing – this is fierce music about pride, strength, loyalty, and brotherhood; all of the songs anthemic and fist-pumpingly vital.

They closed with a cover of Metallica’s “Sad but True” (though not sung in English). Maybe some other covers might broaden their appeal and bring more balance to an hour and a half set somewhat lacking in variety. But The Hu, and certainly the crowd, did not seem to mind.

And how many other bands can claim that they were awarded the Order of Genghis Khan for promoting Mongolian culture around the world?

None but The Hu, that’s who.