Hailing from Inner Mongolia, Nine Treasures have been performing their blend of heavy rock and traditional folk metal since 2010.
Their style is unique as it incorporates cultural overtone singing techniques and heritage instruments including a horsehead fiddle, two stringed lute and zither.
The quintet performs more than 100 festival and headlining shows annually across Asia and recently made their debut in America, alongside Mushroomhead and Fear Factory, as part of The Soul Of A New War Machine Tour.
Their latest album, Seeking The Absolute, is out now via Metal Blade Records, who they signed with in 2024.
In this OOTB interview with founding member, vocalist, multi instrumentalist Askhan Avagchuud, he looks back on the band’s origins, touring with Mushroomhead and Fear Factory, welcoming new listeners and next year’s plans.
Thank you so much for your time with this interview. I saw your Cleveland, Ohio show on Halloween and was mesmerized!
You’ve been at this for more than 15 years! Thinking back, what were your inspirations to originally form Nine Treasures?
The idea of forming Nine Treasures actually dates back to 2008. When I was in college, I discovered several European folk metal bands, and from that moment on, I always wanted to create a metal band that represented my own ethnic culture.
After graduating, I moved to Beijing, where there was a much better musical environment and a thriving metal scene.
Being surrounded by so many metal bands gave me the motivation and inspiration I needed to start a band of my own.
What is the most memorable moment you’ll take away from the Mushroomhead, Fear Factory tour?
Both bands are true legends with decades of history behind them. Staying active and relevant in this industry for so long is incredibly difficult, and I have tremendous respect and admiration for what they've achieved!
One particularly memorable moment was when Mr. Dino [Fear Factory] introduced Nine Treasures to the audience with a microphone before our performance in Lexington.
It made us incredibly proud and gave us the feeling of receiving recognition and encouragement from our senior peers in the metal scene.
Another highlight was when Mushroomhead invited me and our drummer onstage to perform a song together during one of their shows.
These moments left a deep impression on us and really brought us closer together!
What do you hope new listeners take away from your band—both musically and lyrically?
I wouldn't dare say there's any particular lesson people should take away from our music. If listeners can feel the energy in our songs and find happiness through our music, that's more than enough for us.
Looking toward 2027, what are your goals and ambitions for the new year as far as music, tours, growth?
We'll be releasing several new singles, followed by a massive tour across China in March and April.
We're also actively working on arrangements for a European tour and our second U.S. tour.
Beyond that, we simply want to stay focused on music and continue creating better and better material.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I hope everyone can find happiness through music, and I hope the world becomes a better place for all of us.
Photo: Metal Blade Records
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