Written by The vocalist of fast-rising masked pop-metal stars President has taken aim at the people who compare his band to fellow fast-rising masked pop-metal stars Sleep Token.
Talking exclusively to Metal Hammer, the anonymous frontman calls the lines that some have drawn between the two acts “fucking lazy”, arguing that just because they both wear masks, keep their identities secret and share the same management company, Future History, they aren’t the same band.
“What a fucking lazy comparison,” Mr President says when Hammer brings up the comparisons. “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?!”
Mr President doesn’t acknowledge the fact that some have been comparing his band to Sleep Token because of their perceived musical similarities, as well as their aesthetic ones. Both bands make songs that run from atmospheric electro-pop verses to djent-laced metal parts, as has been observed by some critics.
Last year, Hammer’s Dannii Leivers reviewed President’s self-released debut EP, King Of Terrors, and wrote: “Destroy Me and Dionysus follow the same path [as the EP’s previous songs]: modern metalcore that owes a considerable debt to Sleep Token’s dark ambience, shifting deftly between gut-bottoming drops and huge choruses.”
Nonetheless, President have become one of the fastest-growing bands in heavy metal history over the past year. They were unveiled in February, when their name was placed on the poster for Download festival, and delivered their ‘inaugural address’ inside a rammed Dogtooth tent at the Donington weekender in June. They released their first single In The Name Of The Father in May, and King Of Terrors followed in September.
At time of publication, 12 months after President’s name was first seen, the band have more than 600,000 Spotify monthly listeners. In The Name Of The Father has been streamed 18 million times and the band’s second single, Fearless, has been streamed 12 million times. They’ve played sold-out headline shows in London, New York and Los Angeles and supported Architects in arenas, and they have a European headline tour booked for the spring that’s already totally sold-out.
The quick ascent and the involvement of Future History has led some observers to accuse the band of being ‘industry plants’: an allegation that Mr President pushed back against when talking to Hammer in December.
“When you blow up really quickly, it’s assumed you’re backed by a huge corporate machine,” he said. “People find it hard to accept that something can just explode organically. But if something’s getting a lot of attention, you’re gonna draw equal measures of hate as you are love. I’d rather people felt something than nothing at all.”
As well as embark on their sold-out headline tour, President hope to release their much-anticipated debut album this year. Mr President hints towards the upcoming record in the new Hammer interview.
“I can’t wait to show everyone this album,” he says. “It’s something I know I’m going to be really proud of, and I think my friends and family will be too, which is important to me.”
Meanwhile, Sleep Token are currently enjoying some downtime after releasing their chart-topping, Grammy-nominated album Even In Arcadia and touring Europe and North America last year.
