The scale and size to which anonymous collective PRESIDENT have grown is something of a phenomenon. It only felt like yesterday when the band launched their masked music endeavour, premiering the band back at Download Festival with no original material to their name, yet an ungodly buzz surrounding their mystery and strong rumour of who PRESIDENT truly are.
But none of that matters. Their music speaks more for itself. Its euphoric combination of electronic mixed with crushing metalcore breakdowns that peak and rival their peers in their field, an easy comparison to draw being Sleep Token.Fast forward to now, and the band are headlining alternative independent music festivals and selling out sizable venues on their current UK tour on their campaign rally where they are truly getting alternative peoples vote of confidence.
Up first on PRESIDENTS campaign trail is TheBoyShadow (7/10). Bear in mind this band is only a mere few weeks old, so securing this spot supporting PRESIDENT feels like a springboard to shining some light on TheBoyShadow. Fronted by former Loathe guitaristConnor Sweeny, the band bring a dark demeanour to the o2 Forum Kentish Town, using this performance as a session to exercise their demons away through their skin prickling performance.
Taking to their centre stage podium, PRESIDENT (9/10) grace their campaign trail and turn out to give a significantly better performance than any politician could dream of giving. A short nine song setlist for a headliner, it’s not about quantity it’s about quality here for PRESIDENT. Throwing in their own take on Deftones’ iconic banger Change (In The House Of Flies) alongside their eight original bangers in their own right.
From the gentle and subtle ebbs and flows of delicately crushing song RAGE to shattering screams in Fearless, before venturing back to where it all began with debut single and set closer In The Name Of The Father their final change to win the citizens of London over. By the time their campaign trail aka their time on stage is over, it’s clearly a landslide victory for PRESIDENT, a band on the cusp of turning their UK domination into a worldwide victory.
Photos by @zakpinchinfilms
