Why The Hate?: PRESIDENT
Seemingly to come out of nowhere in 2025, President blew up in the scene to an almost unreal extent. With the band’s 2005 debut EP Kings of Terror, the band rose to popularity on SiriusXM and Spotify. Combining a mix of alternative metal, metalcore, electronica and pop. The band became divisive amongst the metal community. Comparisons akin to another act they are constantly compared to in Sleep Token. With their debut album finally released this year, the band is set to tour behind that and truly show a full concept to the band’s sound, vision and message. But is this a too much/too fast? Do we even know who this candidate is before we even vote?
In this edition of Why The Hate?, I look at this surprisingly popular act and look at the backlash behind the band. Is it the undeserved success, almost dripping “industry plant” vibes? Which in today’s culture, people aren’t stupid and can see the writing on the wall right from the get-go. Is it the music that seems to draw the ire of the metal community? Bringing up a rift of the potential of “more bands like this” instead of truly heavier acts getting popular. The hokey Point Break-style mask and imagery the band presents themselves with? An act trying to make a statement but only delivering a message and not a very important one.
FIRST TOPIC: The Music
The Kings of Terror EP introduced the band’s hybrid sound of alternative metalcore. “In The Name of The Father” hit with down-tuned chugging, into ethereal and atmospheric pads and soundscapes that would appease any modern/groove metal fan. Giving off the vibes to get on modern rock/metal stations with the catchiness of some of the melody and the bounce of the chorus. Adding a SoundCloud-rap beat and chant-along chorus of “Fearless” screams rock-radio single. As the next track “RAGE” was another actually nice mixture of pop/techno/metal throughout. All through the EP, the band continues to play around with modern pop elements, fusing them together with alternative metal that leans a little more towards the poppier side. Maybe even drawing similarities to Deftones in some pieces, specifically later-era Deftones. Following that release and response, the expectations began to rise and curiosity put a magnifying glass on the band’s upcoming debut.
The band released their debut album, Blood of Your Empire, in September of this year. The genre-blending is amplified on the debut album compared to Kings of Terror. Songs like “Angel Wings” are complex switch-ups of alternative metal, into dream pop, synthwave and back again. And “Doom Loops” has a nice driving 80’s beat into a pretty techno-driven track. “Pink Noise” and “Sleepwalker” I actually dug. I will admit the production on the vocals do hurt the album a lot in my opinion. I watched video of the vocals being performed live and the guy can sing, but the reverb, pitch-shifted vocal sections take away some of the moments he’s trying to convey in his performance. Almost hiding your emotion and message in studio effects. Upon release, the debut’s reviews and responses from the critics have been divided. Some praise the band’s creativity and modern fusion of alternative/modern metal and modern pop. Others criticizing the album’s “middle of the road” sound, mixed with the band’s copying Sleep Token’s homework but going rock instead of metal.
Musically, does President deserve the hate? No to be honest. They make solid alternative/modern metal. Some of the drumming and techno rhythms do hit the lightly bob-your-head to vibe. At the end of the day, this band might not be someone’s cup of tea. But musically, the debut was fine for me. Not really mind-blowing and not horrible. Just right down the middle for me, and I don’t think the band deserves the hate except from the metal gatekeepers. But then again, they hate everything so let’s just stick to no.
SECOND TOPIC: The Hype
One of the biggest criticisms of the band since it’s debut has been their look and sound. Like I mentioned earlier in the piece, the band has been heavily criticized as being clones of Sleep Token. A band I’ve already covered for this series, check out my views on them HERE. In an interview with Metal Hammer, President called the relatability a “fucking lazy comparison”. He would continue to express his thoughts on the comparison:
“I mean, yes, we have the same management, and we both wear masks. Those are both facts… you got me! It’s like, is that it?! That’s all you’ve got? It’s hardly a new thing, is it, wearing masks?!”
Though he did point one comparison that I can see his point, I think he (like our current U.S. President) completely dodged the point of the comparison. Yes, many bands have or wear masks in metal currently besides Sleep Token (GWAR, Slipknot, Mushroomhead, and Gaerea to name a few). The point the interviewer was addressing was the musical comparison to Sleep Token, which the vocalist completely ignored. With the same management, and a sound similar to the management company’s biggest act, it draws similarities to Lou Pearlman. Pearlman, who discovered and signed the Backstreet Boys in the early 90’s, would later sign NSYNC. With both bands having very similar look, musical direction, image and stage show, he would go on to make millions on the success of both acts. Many fans and music critics have cited the band’s management as pulling the same thing in the metal world.
The “industry plant” point people have pointed out was the band’s almost overnight success. The band made their debut at the 2025 Download Festival. The ire that many fans and bands had against the act at the time was the band didn’t have one single song out at the time. No EP, no album and were on one of the biggest festivals in Europe. And not just the first band performing that day, the seventh band to play out of thirteen. Fueling the “industry plant” theory even more after their announced performance. And if I were a band that worked their ass off to get on the bill. To play before a band with no hype or previous material released, I would be furious. Supporting the logic of paying your dues to earn your spot. And to have a big label like Atlantic Records behind them, the band’s live stage show also draws “try-hard” imagery to overly match the band’s concept and presentation.
With concerts being called “rallies”, fans dubbed “citizens” and music videos called “broadcasts”, it becomes to be a bit over-the-top and making outside people have the “ok, we get it” vibe from the presentation. From the videos of the band I’ve seen live, the music and message doesn’t quite match the general motif the band is going for. To do that kind of power and gusto to match that stage show presentation, you need to look no further than Marilyn Manson’s 1996 Dead To The World Tour. That tour had the grandiosity, message and controversy that President wish it could parlay in its message. Multiple set changes including a crumbling church, a massive podium that towered above the crowd, costume changes and hype in both fame and infamy. With President’s music, the show doesn’t seem to match the music.
And the mask of the front-man. For a band that relies on masks and imagery, THAT was the best mask look you could go with? In today’s day of age of modern makeup-effects, it looks like I’d return it. Ghost & Slipknot have pulled this look off both in press shots and live, so it can be done. I’m not sure if it was due to budget or they truly wanted the Point Break look, but it just looks like the band had to grab something from a Spirit store at the last minute. Maybe I’m jumping the gun a bit. Since the band could pull a Slipknot and change imagery album to album. Maybe have different “presidents” per album cycle (which if they do it, I want credit for it now).
Does President deserve the hate? I can see moments that people point out that they deserve the hate. Being on one of the biggest metal festivals in Europe, without an EP or single, I can completely see and actually agree with that. But, is that the band’s fault or more the label/press’ fault? Maybe if the band toured for a year and got popular “naturally”, then maybe some of that stigma would go away. Giving time for the band to maybe perfect the band’s imagery with the masks, imagery and stage show. Potentially also getting rid of the “industry plant” conspiracy that seems to follow the band like a shadow. Although, this conspiracy is starting to grow on me with the research of this piece.
Regarding the music, I don’t think they deserve the hate on that. If the band was/inspired by Sleep Token and wanted to make that kind of music, they had to look at the same backlash that Sleep Token were facing and went through with critics and the metal community. But to be such douches about it and saying “we don’t sound at all like them” has that eye-roll inducing “sure” look all over it that is soaked in sarcasm. I do think the band does incorporate more unique elements of modern pop than the latter. For me, Blood of Your Empire was a good debut and the genre-blending was well done throughout. But, is it album of the year material? No. But it was still an enjoyable record nonetheless, and I would be curious to see what they do for future releases.
The band is still a year old, so maybe this Why The Hate? might be a bit pre-mature, f I’m being honest. But I wanted to cover it since this band has been all over social media, Spotify playlists and view counts on YouTube along with press coverage on sites like Blabbermouth. And this debut had a lot of hype and pressure behind the band to deliver something that would knock your socks off. Maybe with time and a couple more releases, I’ll do a follow-up piece if the backlash is still just as bad as it now. Only time will tell if the band’s legacy will leave a lasting and impact in modern metal or if we wished we could count the votes again.
