EP REVIEW: PRESIDENT - KING OF TERRORS (26/09/25)
What is it about PRESIDENT that has earned such a dedicated legion of followers right from the release of their first ever track? Certainly intrigue at their sudden and unexplained addition to the Download Festival 2025 billing, slow drip feed of teasers and choice to remain anonymous have kept interest high but as a series of tracks have slowly been revealed over the summer, intrigue has turned to immense fervour to hear more.
With the upcoming release of their debut EP King Of Terrors, PRESIDENT prepare to delve deeper into metaphors, lore and theatrics.
On the surface the choice to remain anonymous could cynically be seen as simply stylistic- a modern marketing technique, with contemporaries such as Sleep Token also choosing the anonymity of masked performance. The truth of PRESIDENT’s desire to be unknown however is a lot more intentional. Along with Vice (Drums), Heist (Guitar) and Protest (Bass), founder and vocalist - simply known as President, acknowledges his hesitancy in previous projects to explore themes of existentialism and a visceral fear of death triggered by his journey out of faith, while reckoning with his own personal losses. The freedom that comes with anonymity has allowed him to tackle those more sensitive and personal subjects.
King Of Terrors, named after a biblical metaphor for death, is personified as a terrible monarch that exercises supremacy over humanity. The EP's six tracks branch off from this iconography, exploring the push and pull of fear and hope. A collection of songs that are at times menacing, painful, beautiful and angry with every stop in between.
Following the big and bold statement that is the opening track ‘In the Name of the Father’, ‘Fearless’, the second ever release by the band demonstrates a heartbreakingly anguished melody over themes of introspection while maintaining pace.
The EP follows the chronology of prior releases with ‘Rage’ up next, a track inspired by the poem ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ by Dylan Thomas. This song really cemented the direction expected from the band, combining chilled electronic experimentation with builds to thrashy guitars that make you wonder for a moment how you got there.
A supremely heavy breakdown comes at the end of 'Destroy Me' before ‘Dionysus’, whose name sake is the God of Wine and Madness, lays out raw feelings of desperation. The delicate hopefulness of Conclave's references to the afterlife bring the EP to a close.
This sonic rollercoaster is a perfect representation of the journey of self-discovery, harnessing every complex and contradictory feeling imaginable, wrapped up in electronic metal and skilful production.
With 'Dionysus' already having had a live feature, the only unknown on the EP - ‘Conclave ‘ - rounds off a collection of tracks that introduce the potential that is PRESIDENT. It is unlikely this offering will do much to sate the appetite for a full album among the faithful, and that can't come soon enough.