EP review by Lucas Bell
Earlier this year, rumblings of a new band started doing the rounds. Debuting as part of the UK Download Festival line up, there was a band on the line up no one had ever heard of before. There were theories aplenty. Who the hell is this band? Are they tied to Sleep Token? What has a band with no songs, or following, done to warrant a decently high spot on one of the most acclaimed music festivals in the world? Just who the hell is President?
People like me, quickly bought into the hype of this anonymous masked collective. But some didn’t. And still haven’t. I don’t believe they are going to be a flash in the pan style of band. The group features members The President on vocals, wearing a Nixon/JFK vibes type of mask, Heist on guitars, Protest on bass, and Vice on drums. Being anonymous, we have no clue who these guys are, but rumours aplenty have done the rounds. I won’t say my theories, but if this band is just who I think it is, I’m very excited for this EP, and the future of President.
Song Breakdowns
In the Name of the Father – The song that started the hype train for this band. Can’t say much about it that already hasn’t been said. Absolutely brilliant. My favorite part of the song is the ending, with the almost whisper of the final lyrics. Because it feels like more is coming, but then it just…stops and feeds straight into Fearless.
Fearless – Out of the four songs released from the EP at time of writing, this has been my favorite song to go back to. The song reeks of the modern tropes of Architects and Bring Me the Horizon, but not in a bad way. The slight addition of the autotune is dope as well. When used creatively as a tool, and not a crutch, autotune can add layers to the vocals. And it does well on ‘Fearless’.
RAGE – The intro to ‘RAGE’ almost feels like what you’d expect on an interlude track. But when the vocals kick in, the vibes for the EP completely change. The addition of the electronic component to this song again, layers the EP with more variety. The rock really kicks in around the 2:18 mark, and this part of the song features some of the best vocals on the EP. For extra coolness, if you haven’t seen the music video for this yet, I’d highly recommend. It features dancers, with The President watching over them from a balcony. Very cool visuals.
Destroy Me – Hands down the best song of the EP. While the EP is amazing, the first time I heard this song, it blew me away. The pseudo rapping at the start. The singing on the pre chorus. The screams on the chorus. And that breakdown. FWAH!!! Tied together with some of the tightest drumming and guitar work on the record. Legitimately a song of the year contender.
Dionysus – Much like In the ‘Name of the Father’ into ‘Fearless’, ‘Destroy Me’ flawlessly feeds into ‘Dionysus’. This is the first new song on the EP I’ve experienced, so I haven’t had as much time as I have with the other four. But I can feel this being a track that will quickly grow on me. The chorus soars, and the low, heavy riffs throughout are my exact niche of songs that I just adore.
Conclave – ‘Conclave’ is the final track of the EP, and out of the six tracks, it’s probably the most fitting to finish the EP. The synth intro is pretty, and the vocals almost float through space over the instrumental. The drums on the chorus are simple, and effective in their sound, before blasting into chaotic complexity on the verse. A great track to end the EP on.
Final Thoughts
Whoever this four piece is, they have created an incredible piece of work. While the inevitable Sleep Token comparisons will come, President have created something truly unique. The confinement of being just a straight up rock or metal band is boring now for fans. Bands that choose instead to experiment and break the mold are far more interesting. And President has done that with King of Terrors. This is a must listen EP for the year.
Score – 9/10
Standouts – Destroy Me, Fearless
