Proving that the appetite for masked bands shows no sign of abating, it took less than a year for President to emerge from nowhere and sweep triumphantly into metal’s own Oval Office.
All of that on the back of a triumphant Download appearance, a three-track EP, a handful of ‘headline rallies’ (aka gigs) and a lot of speculation as to who is behind that mask. We catch up with the President.
Good afternoon, Mr President. How has it been adjusting to your new role?
“It’s been fucking crazy. I didn’t have any grand expectations – I’d hoped we might have enough fans to put on a few shows, maybe. I’d never have guessed this is how people would respond.”
What does President mean to you?
“It’s the most important thing I’ve ever done, by a mile. It’s the most introspective thing I could have ever put out into the world. At first, everything felt very insular – I was in my studio, doing this whole thing by myself, writing all the lyrics, riffs, instrumentation. It started out as a way of helping myself – there are things that I have really struggled with in recent years.”
Is it like your own form of therapy?
“I’ve spent time in therapy recently to cope, but this project has been another kind of self-help entirely. It’s really helped bring me out of those dark places, some of the worst of my life. I’m still searching for a lot of answers, but President is a vehicle to express my emotions and explore those feelings.”
Did you choose the President persona to make any kind of commentary on society or politics?
“If you think it’s a political commentary, it’s missing the point of how introspective the project really is. It’s far more tied with religion, honestly. If it’s commenting on anything political, it’s not party politics. President is about speaking to people and making them look at the bigger picture, then look inward. But I’m not preaching anything.”
Where did you find your mask?
“It took a long time, because I wanted it to be perfect. I got it designed by someone outside of the UK, and we brainstormed the idea together. They did a 3D map of my face, and we designed the mask from scratch. Once that was made, it was designed in clay and made into a mould so I can reproduce as many as I need.”
How have you found singing in it?
“It was a challenge for the first two shows. I nearly died at Download – when I took that mask off it was like upturning a bucket. A pool of my sweat splashed onto the floor. It’s all trial and error! We’ve got the new mask now; I’m excited to get out on the road to test it.”
You arrived in a presidential estate car for Download. That’s some flex.
“We arrived in a motorcade that included two Rolls-Royces, which seems very bold, right? But I remember driving to the stage with the most intense nerves I’ve ever felt. We couldn’t soundcheck or anything, and I was just panicking in this Rolls-Royce. On paper, it was a fucking idiotic plan.”
Well, it worked out in the end.
“I couldn’t have planned a harder way to introduce President to the world. If it went wrong, it would have been a fucking disaster. But it spurred me on to rise to the challenge. And hearing everyone shouting ‘President!’ made it all worth it; when I walked offstage, I was wiping tears off of my mask. It was such an emotional moment.”
What are the most ridiculous rumours you’ve heard about yourself?
“When you blow up really quickly, it’s assumed you’re backed by a huge corporate machine. 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.”
What’s next for President?
“I’m writing a full-length album. I’ve got four songs written already, and I’d say three of those are the best I’ve ever written. This album is going to be an evolution. It takes bits of the EP, and it’s pushing certain elements even further. Obviously music is subjective, so people might not agree, but I am my fiercest critic – if I love it, that’s a great start.”
King Of Terrors is out now via ADA. President headline Takedown Festival on April 4. Their UK and Ireland tour begins April 11 in Belfast.
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