Orgil: Bass, Backing Vocals
Saina: Balalaika, Backing Vocals, Guitars
Namra: Drums
Nars: Morin Khuur, Backing Vocals
With In search of the Absolute, 9 Treasures‘ first album for Metallic Blade, the alt-metal lineup is happy to ship their first globally launched album, In search of the Absolute. Shaped by vocalist/guitarist Askhan Avagchuud in 2010 within the autonomous area of Interior Mongolia in China, 9 Treasures are a novel mixture of steel and conventional Mongolian instrumentation, using each typical vocals and Mongolian throat singing. Guitars, bass, and drums collide with indigenous string devices, together with the balalaika and the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle). Briefly, pentatonic japanese music blended with heavy steel. The outcome? A sonic kaleidoscope that follows no set template.
“On In search of the Absolute, we tried to seize the issues that really excite us deep inside, these unforgettable moments when your thoughts swings large open to infinite prospects,” says Askhan. “You open a brand-new realm for your self, unfamiliar, but extremely thrilling. On the similar time, it’s like an infinite puzzle, and to finish it, you additionally want calm reflection and meticulous evaluation. That’s why we glance upon it as ‘In search of the Absolute.’“
The singer/guitarist grew up listening to the Huge 4, nu steel and European bands like In Flames and Youngsters of Bodom. Askhan was cautious to make 9 Treasures‘ melding of genres an natural factor. “It’s not so simple as simply placing a guitar chord behind some Mongolian melodies,” he explains. “Our music is a lot deeper than that. We work to make sure the 2 distinct sides of our sound complement each other. I’ve modified the best way I play the guitar to accommodate the Mongolian components, and vice-versa. To do that takes plenty of evaluation and experimentation.”
9 Treasures transfer simply from a straight-up headbanging model to the extra atmospheric progressive model on In search of the Absolute. Guitar-wise, Askhan makes use of plenty of Mongolian taking part in methods and songwriting logic into his taking part in and is happy for the “contemporary blood” it provides to the band’s sound. The quintet’s different approaches and common messaging will enable them to tour with any musically progressive band, be it Amon Amarth or TOOL.
The primary single from In search of the Absolute is “Actual Dream,” a tune written whereas the band was in Los Angeles. “Actual Dream” marked a turning level for 9 Treasures. “It felt like entering into a brand new dimension. By this tune, we rediscovered our confidence and broke via a protracted artistic bottleneck,” says Askhan. “It actually felt like a rebirth. We explored each doable construction, piecing collectively the proper association via infinite trial and error. In the long run, we acquired precisely what we had envisioned-it was all value it.“
“Till Now” was one other breakthrough second in writing for In search of the Absolute. “One morning, whereas taking part in the tovshuur [Mongolian plucked musical instrument] I stumbled upon a sliding riff that simply clicked,” Askhan recollects. “We stored refining it time and again till it grew to become the ultimate model. Halfway via, the monitor breaks right into a stream-of-consciousness improvisation, wild and free. Each time we carry out it, it looks like driving a wave that simply retains rising and rolling. We get utterly misplaced in it-and we find it irresistible.”
The title monitor totally embraces the spirit of Jap taking part in techniques-”particularly glissando, again and again again-which is why the tune’s working title was merely ‘Slide.’ By that point, our artistic course of had turn into utterly free,” Askhan says. “We now not cared about guidelines or boundaries-we simply adopted our instincts and poured every little thing out. The twin solo within the center, between the morin khuur and the slide guitar, is one in every of my favourite moments-two devices, two textures, taking part in the very same notes. It’s an ideal fusion.”
The band takes its title from a bunch of objects referenced in historic Mongolian poems, and in music, lyrics and visuals, 9 Treasures contact on the mythology and fairy tales of their homeland. However the band’s songs comprise extra common references, too, explains Askhan, a practising Buddhist. “Lyrically, ‘In search of the Absolute’ is a tune about holding onto religion and searching for the last word fact of the universe. That’s one thing I’ve personally been striving for in current years-so in some ways, this tune is a message to myself. A sort of self-encouragement. However I additionally hope it may deliver energy to others, too.”
Following 9 Treasures‘ 2024 signing to Metallic Blade, the label re-released the 12-song compilation album Awakening from Dukkha in addition to 2017′s Knowledge Eyes. 9 Treasures play 100-plus competition reveals and headlining gigs per 12 months in Asia to audiences of as much as 80,000. With three acclaimed albums main as much as In search of the Absolute, hundreds of thousands of streams, and festivals together with Wacken Open Air, Woodstock Poland and extra, 9 Treasures are completely poised to seize The Americas, Europe and onward.
Achievements up to now have been famous by the press worldwide, with publications together with The Quietus providing rave evaluations: “There aren’t any compromises on sonic assault for the advantage of the historically acoustic devices. Tracks borrow gleefully from a variety of steel methods, taking the tuneful riffs of melodic steel, the momentum of hardcore and the knack for complexity from progressive kinds, utilizing these in tangent with throat singing methods to hammer residence the vocal hooks, that are sprinkled liberally.“
9 Treasures are wanting ahead to the October 24, 2025 launch of In search of the Absolute, wanting to unfold their distinctive sound and positivity worldwide. “Our new music matches with our historical past but additionally offers the viewers extra surprises due to tons of latest components that we added. Our message is straightforward,” Askhan concludes. “We simply need everybody to be pleased and revel in themselves at our reveals. We would like 9 Treasures to deliver some optimistic vitality into the world – the best factor we will do with that is to assist folks.”
