Nine Treasures – Seeking The Absolute Review

After wisely reissuing their earlier releases, ‘Wisdom Eyes’ and ‘Awakening From Dukkha’—the latter being rerecorded with a more contemporary metal sound—Nine Treasures have established themselves firmly in the global market. It’s undeniable they’re riding the wave created by The Hu’s success, but there’s nothing wrong with that when the quality is this high.

Originating in 2010 from Inner Mongolia’s Hailar District, the band has built their reputation on merging heavy metal with traditional Mongolian instruments (such as the tovshuur and morin khuur) alongside throat singing. Their sonic identity, much like The Hu’s, draws from pentatonic Eastern melodies combined with contemporary metal elements spanning thrash to progressive styles.

With ‘Seeking The Absolute’, the band presents their debut global release, and predictably given their cultural roots and approach, it explores spirituality, universal truths, and self-discovery—themes drawn from frontman Askhan’s Buddhist philosophy. The album oscillates between crushing metal passages and ambient progressive sections, featuring complex arrangements and traditional Mongolian performance methods. However, the highlight for me is undoubtedly the dual solo combining morin khuur with slide guitar on the title track—an ideal fusion of Eastern and Western styles. As the album’s finale, it also serves as a powerful declaration of their staying power.

On other tracks, ‘Indecision’ absolutely “kicks ass” (to borrow from our American friends)—and I can’t think of a more fitting description. This track exemplifies what traditional and modern instruments working in perfect synergy can achieve. If you’re assuming “This is just The Hu 2.0,” think again. Their sound is distinctly different. Consider Metallica versus Megadeth—yes, there are parallels (hence both being Big 4 thrash legends), but each remains distinctive enough to stand independently, and Nine Treasures are no exception. The components may be similar, but the final result stands confidently on its own merits.

The label’s reissues of their 2017 debut and 2021 compilation were enjoyable listens, but they essentially function as appetizers compared to this main course. And what a feast it is!