Nature Ganganbaigal, frontman and multi-instrumentalist with Mongolian folk-metal heroes Tengger Cavalry, has died.
“It is with deep sadness and shock that we must share the news that Nature has passed away,” said the band in a statement. “Nature’s greatest goal in life was the unite people of all backgrounds through community and through music. He was also an advocate for mental health, and encouraged everyone from friends to total strangers to persist through their struggles.
“Though we have lost a dear friend and a great artists, we know that his music will live on and continue to help us find our common ground and find our strength despite adversity. Please respect the privacy of Nature’s family during his painful time. May the Eternal Blue Sky find him at peace.”
Nature’s body was found on June 13, though the cause of death has not been revealed.
Tengger Cavalry guitarist Patrick Reilly told Metal Sucks that the band grew suspicious when Nature didn’t turn up for rehearsals and missed a video shoot. “For him to miss that was a cause for suspicion,” said Reilly.
Formed by Nature as a solo project in 2010, Tengger Cavalry released their most recent album, Northern Memory (Vol. 1), in March 2019, with the Northern Memory (Vol. 2) EP following in May.
The singer had publically talked about his mental health struggles. In 2019, he told Kerrang! that he had attempted suicide.
“I was on top of this building, thinking about doing it, when out of nowhere a bunch of police came,” he said. “They were there doing an inspection, and asked me what I was doing here. And I realized that deep down, I still wanted help. I wanted a way out. So I told them, and they called me an ambulance. I really appreciated their chief, this big guy, who told me his wife had been cheating on him after being married for twelve years. It was very sweet of him, trying to ease me out. They rescued me.”
We send our condolences to Nature’s family and friends.