Will You Join the Campaign for PRESIDENT?
WRITTEN BY: ROB PAGAN
Something strange is happening in our little ol’ music community, specifically within the alternative and heavy music genres. Out of the ether comes another masked conglomerate that seemingly materialized out of thin air and the internet is blowing up with theories about it. With their debut single “In The Name Of The Father” having been released in May and already amassing over 3.7 million streams on Spotify, PRESIDENT releases their next public statement in their new single “Fearless”. And I vote YES to this mystery group.
With no previous show history or indication of who the members might be, there’s still no doubt that these two songs are both powerhouses in their own right and have raised plenty of eyebrows over the last two months. The buzz surrounding their emergence is justifiable considering their Sleep Token’esque approach to anonymity and style. It’s also worth noting their debut show will be at the 2025 Download Festival on June 15th, which “coincidentally” Sleep Token is headlining. But despite the seemingly telling connections and conclusions being drawn from the many theories floating around online, it does not detract from how good these two songs really are on their own.
“Fearless” flirts with a level of sonic ambience that I am personally a huge fan of. It creates an atmosphere and space for multiple things to happen, especially lyrically. Through the verses, we have a generous amount of auto-tuned vocals that are expertly crafted, not out of necessity, but out of sheer artistry. This adds an electronic element to PRESIDENT’s sound that has become a popular fusion within heavy music in recent years. Love it or hate it, it’s an attractive method and adds a dynamic that we don’t hear done well too often.
The band has also dialed in on something I've recently become more appreciative of and that’s the concept that less is more. Both singles have their layers of complexity built in but overall, they’re not overly complicated or busy. There’s a lot of room to breathe and even more room to really enjoy the moods that these songs explore. Listening to both releases back-to-back builds a heightened level of anticipation for an album release, which I’m hoping comes soon. So far, PRESIDENT has been slamming us with cliffhangers since they launched their social media accounts back in February. If anything, they’re masters of building the thirst for more, which one can speculate that may be why they’re not some random musicians and have some skin in the game.
The music video for “Fearless” also dropped last week with its ending seemingly revealing the identity of their lead singer. However, many believe this move to be a ruse and that the man depicted in the video is a paid actor and not the actual singer. I mean, would they really make it that easy for us to know? Who knows at this point. What I do know is that they’re definitely playing with my emotions with these teasers. I’m ready for an album drop and US tour!
The one thing that is undeniable is that this band is striking at the right time for the right audience. The excitement behind their live debut is off the charts and with the 2025 Download Festival right around the corner, it won’t be long until we see what else their “campaign” will present to the masses. PRESIDENT is seemingly the start of a new movement. How do you cast your vote?
