Tengger Cavalry
{{Short description|Chinese heavy metal band}}
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{{More citations needed|date=April 2025}}
{{Missing information|how the project became a band and who its members were|date={{monthyear}}}}
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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Tengger Cavalry
| image = Tengger cavalry august 2016 promo pic.jpg
| image_size = 250
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption = Tengger Cavalry in 2016
| alias =
| origin = Inner Mongolia; Beijing, China
| genre = {{hlist|Folk metal|Mongolian music|heavy metal}}
| years_active = {{start date|2010}}–2018; {{start date|2018}}–2019
| website =
| label = {{hlist|Metal Hell Records (2012)|M-Theory Audio (2017)|Napalm (2018–2019)}}
| past_members =
- Nature G
- Patrick Reilly
- Randy Tesser
- Greg Baker
- Tamir Hargana
- Yuri Liak
- Alex Abayev
- Josh Schifris
- Zaki Ali
- Robert McLaughlin
- Borjigin Chineeleg
- Uljmuren De
- Phillip Newton
}}
Tengger Cavalry was a heavy metal band originating from Inner Mongolia and Beijing in China and based in New York and Texas.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/tengger-cavalry-interview-stream/ |title=Heritge, horses, and Tengger Cavalry: inside the world of Mongolian folk metal |publisher=Noisey |date=30 April 2014 |access-date=2 September 2014}} They combined elements of the traditional music of Central Asia and Mongolia with heavy metal into a kind of folk metal that Billboard and CNN referred to as "nomadic folk metal".{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7511065/tengger-cavalry-the-struggle-premiere|title=Tengger Cavalry's 'The Struggle': Exclusive Premiere |publisher=Billboard|date=1 October 2016 |accessdate=17 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/one-part-metal-one-part-mongolian|title=CNN: One part metal, one part Mongolian |work=Great Big Story |publisher=CNN |date=1 October 2015 |accessdate=11 October 2015}}
Tengger Cavalry was active from 2010 until 2019, when its founder, Nature Ganganbaigal, died. During this time, they released 14 studio albums, three EPs, and two compilations. The band also recorded game soundtracks for Civilization 6{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqkrBkITgD0 |title=Civilization 6 |publisher=Civilization 6 |date=30 April 2017 |accessdate=2 September 2014}} and Doom Eternal.{{cite web|url=http://www.ghostcultmag.com/doom-video-game-composer-assembles-metal-vocalists-for-doom-eternal-soundtrack/|title=Doom Video Game Composer Assembles Metal Vocalists for "Doom Eternal" Soundtrack |publisher=Ghost Cult Mag |date=11 March 2019 |accessdate=11 March 2019}}
History
Tengger Cavalry was founded in March 2010 as a one-man project by Nature Ganganbaigal,{{cite web|last=Bryan |first=Beverly |url=http://www.mtviggy.com/articles/tengger-cavalrys-black-metal-for-pagan-hordes/ |title=Tengger Cavalry's Black Metal for Pagan Hordes |publisher=Mtv Iggy |date=13 December 2011 |accessdate=28 April 2014}} a musician and composer from Beijing, China, who named it after the ancient Mongolic and Turkic deity Tengri.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}
The band released their debut album, Blood Sacrifice Shaman, the same year,{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.de/re-views/archiv/a-z/item/21168-tengger-cavalry-%E2%80%9Eblood-sacrifice-shaman%E2%80%9D |title=Tengger Cavalry "Blood Sacrifice Shaman" |publisher=Legacy.de |date=29 June 2011 |accessdate=28 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429080447/http://www.legacy.de/re-views/archiv/a-z/item/21168-tengger-cavalry-%E2%80%9Eblood-sacrifice-shaman%E2%80%9D |archivedate=29 April 2014 }} and followed with Cavalry Folk in 2011{{Cite web|title=铁骑乐队 Tengger Cavalry-Cavalry Folk_专辑下载_flac123无损音乐|url=https://www.flac123.com/albums/3857673|access-date=15 January 2021|website=flac123.com}} and Sunesu Cavalry in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/sunesu-cavalry |title=Sunesu Cavalry |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}} That year, a feature by the British music magazine Terrorizer gave the band a wider international audience.{{cite web|url=http://www.terrorizer.com/news/terrorizer-232-out-now-its-orange-goblin/ |title=Terrorizer 232 is out now |work=Terrorizer |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
Tengger Cavalry went on to issue several more albums, including Blood Sacrifice Shaman in 2015,{{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/blood-sacrifice-shaman |title=Blood Sacrifice Shaman |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}} Cavalry in Thousands{{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/cavalry-in-thousands |title=Cavalry in Thousands |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}} and Ancient Call in 2016,{{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/hymn-of-the-earth |title=Hymn of the Earth |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}} Die on My Ride in 2017,{{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/die-on-my-ride |title=Die on My Ride |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 May 2017 |accessdate=28 April 2017}} and Cian Bi in 2018.
On 27 February 2018, it was announced that the band had broken up.{{cite web|url=http://lambgoat.com/news/29641/Tengger-Cavalry-breaks-up|title=Tengger Cavalry breaks up|publisher=Lambgoat|accessdate=27 February 2018|date=27 February 2018}} Less than five months later, Ganganbaigal stated the they were back together,{{cite web|url=https://www.theprp.com/2018/07/13/news/tengger-cavalry-regroup-debut-the-heart-music-video/|title=Tengger Cavalry Regroup, Debut "The Heart" Music Video|publisher=theprp.com|accessdate=16 July 2018|date=13 July 2018}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8465331/nature-g-interview-tengger-cavalry-heart|title=Nature G Reunites Mongolian Folk Metal Band Tengger Cavalry for 'Heart': Exclusive|magazine=Billboard|access-date=15 July 2018}} and a year later, they issued album, Northern Memory, Vol. 1 and Northern Memory, Vol. 2.
On 24 June 2019, Tengger Cavalry announced that Ganganbaigal had died of undisclosed causes.{{cite web|url=http://www.metalsucks.net/2019/06/24/tengger-cavalry-frontman-nature-ganganbaigal-has-died/|title= Tengger Cavalry Frontman Nature Ganganbaigal Has Died |publisher=Metalsucks|accessdate=24 June 2019|date=24 June 2019}}
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Band members
{{More citations needed|section|date=April 2025}}
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Final lineup
- Nature G – rhythm guitar, throat singing, morin khuur (2010–2019)
- Patrick Reilly – lead guitar (2018–2019)
- Randy Tesser – drums (2018–2019){{Cite web | url=https://www.carnegiehall.org/calendar/2018/09/20/mongolian-nomadic-folk-music-concert-0800pm |title = Mongolian Nomadic Folk Music Concert – 9/20/2018 8 PM}}
- Greg Baker – bass guitar, double bass (2018–2019)
- Tamir Hargana – morin khuur, Tuvan throat singing (2018–2019)
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Former
- Yuri Liak – drums (2015)
- Alex Abayev – bass (2015–2018)
- Josh Schifris – drums (2016–2017)
- Zaki Ali – drums (2017–2018)
- Robert McLaughlin – igil, shanz, throat singing (2015)
- Borjigin Chineeleg – throat singing, topshur, jawharp (2017–2018)
- Uljmuren De – morin khuur (2016–2018)
- Phillip Newton – topshur, backing vocals (2017–2018)
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Discography
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=Studio albums=
- Blood Sacrifice Shaman (2010)
- Cavalry Folk (2011)
- The Mantra (2011)
- Sunesu Cavalry (2012)
- The Expedition (2013)
- Black Steed (2013)
- Blood Sacrifice Shaman (2015)
- Cavalry in Thousands (2016)
- Ancient Call (2016)
- Die on My Ride (2017)
- Cavalry from Hell (2017)
- War Horse (2017)
- Cian Bi (2018)
- Northern Memory, Vol. 1 (2019)
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=Compilations=
- Grassland Rock(2016){{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/grassland-rock-remix |title=Grassland Rock |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
- Soundtrack of the Cavalry(2016){{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/soundtrack-of-the-cavalry-remix |title=Soundtrack of the Cavalry |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
=EPs=
- kAAn (2016){{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/kaan-ep |title=kAAn |publisher=Tengger Cavalry |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
- Mountain Side (2016){{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/mountain-side-ep |title=Mountain Side |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014|archive-date=11 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711201413/https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/mountain-side-ep}}
- Northern Memory, Vol. 2 (2019)
=Singles=
- "War Horse" (2018){{cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/war-horse-single |title=War Horse |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: Bandcamp |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
- "A Blade of Time"
- "Heart" (2016){{Cite web|url=https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/heart|title=Heart, by Tengger Cavalry|website=Tengger Cavalry|access-date=15 July 2018|archive-date=11 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711211554/https://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/album/war-horse-single}}
=Videos=
- "Independence Day"
- "KAAN"{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbMmGIFcBc8 |title=KAAN |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: YouTube |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
- "War Horse"{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icPhDK3PTqc |title=War Horse |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: YouTube |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
- "Mountain Side"{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tpo05ngc2g |title=Mountain Side |publisher=Tengger Cavalry: YouTube |date=21 January 2013 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}
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Awards
- Global Music Awards – silver award for Best Music Video: "Mountain Side" (2016){{Cite web|url=http://www.globalmusicawards.com/Winners-June-2016.html|title=Winners-June-2016|website=Globalmusicawards.com|accessdate=11 October 2020}}
- The Academia Music Awards – Best Heavy Metal Song: "Independence Day" (2017)