Nine Treasures

The Mongolian quintet Nine Treasures combines the speed, power, and amplification of modern metal with the traditional sound of the group’s origins. The result -- heard on albums like 2017’s Wisdom Eyes and the 2021 compilation Awakening from Dukkha -- combines the familiar (headbanging guitar chords, punishing percussion) with the unexpected: augmentation from Eastern stringed instruments like balalaika, morin khuur, and tovshuur, and vocals that blend Tuvan throat singing with aggressive growls.