Album Review: Blood Of Your Empire By PRESIDENT
What was to be one of the most anticipated albums of September this year, instead feels like a sack of misused empty promises wrapped up in an album. PRESIDENT have done very little to change the landscape of what is considered electronic metalcore and this debut album does nothing to change that. Fans should expect to go into this album with very little curiosity and come out of it feeling the same.
PRESIDENT is an anonymous band, focusing on the music as opposed to the identity of the members. Much like Sleep Token, PRESIDENT’s members are known only by their titles, President (Vocals), Vice (Drums), Protest (Bass) and Heist (Guitar). Their concerts are cleverly renamed as rallies and they have this, their debut album and the EP “King Of Terrors" currently out on all streaming platforms.
Angel Wings starts off with not much to it, the opening feels more like a 10's house track than what it is trying to be which in President's case does not work for them. There is nothing of great power or feeling that allows you to endure anything at all. The chorus feels like it drags, almost wanting to put you to sleep as opposed to getting you ready for what should have been a solid debut album. Angel Wings suffers from the fact that there is a disinterest in making it seem different to any of the other songs on this album, fans will either love it or hate the fact that it is the first sign that this album is weaker than their EP “King Of Terrors”. Talking about being holy and anything that the listener wants President to be, doesn't hide from the fact that it is a weak opener.
Right off the bat, Doom Loop should have been the opener, it's packed full of raw unprecedented energy. The song nor the album as a whole doesn't do itself justice to be second on the listing. "Cant control where we go in the final sleep" tells us that during our deaths we cannot tell whether we ascend or descend. Doom Loop talks about wanting to know where we go when we die and what we do in our lives that affects that rather holy influenced decision. This is further established when PRESIDENT sings "I see the angels glistening, I can hear them whispering". This sense of angelic wisdom will make you feel excited for what is about to drop, PRESIDENT then contradicts their previous statement by saying “Shame it’s not enough for me”. The beat then drops and what you are left with is a stellar back beat and an incredible chorus. This will have fans of PRESIDENT joyfully reminisce of what they came to expect on the EP “King Of Terrors” and leave them wanting more. It is by far the only strong song on the album and one which fans will enjoy the most.
Pink Noise is by far the weakest song on the entire record, there is a feeling that it drags the whole album down and does not involve any sort of development when it comes to lyricism, the production feels like its bouncing off the walls doesn't make any attempt to be original. This entry feels like it should belong to a band like Enter Shikari as opposed to PRESIDENT. There's no attempt to make it feel like it belongs on “BLOOD OF YOUR EMPIRE”. It feels so out of place because of this. Pink Noise does feel like a lone horse on this album, whilst it is unique and new to PRESIDENT, there is a lack of tone and structure to this track which causes it to not establish any sort of emotional pull and cannot seem to land in any current to keep interest due to it. Pink Noise is not original in any sense and copies’ Sleep Token’s DYWTYLM almost exactly to the bpm and therefore, lacks originality and is a joke in itself.
For a record that is essential to PRESIDENT's beginnings, it falls behind on the production end as well. There is a feeling in multiple tracks where you get ready for a drop that arrives, but doesn't land properly leaving you with the feeling of missed euphoria. Doom Loop is probably the exception to this, providing a satisfying end to an incredible build up. There isn't much to this record and that should annoy some fans, especially after PRESIDENT delivered an exceptional EP in the form of "King Of Terrors”. With this album, there is no sustenance and the need to want more from it is lackluster. Every track aside from Doom Loop could have just been a track from a house dj and it would have worked better in that setting rather than this one. Whilst there is understanding to be had that PRESIDENT wanted to create something that is uniquely theirs, it’s clear that this drop lacks the character and development needed for that.
Overall, it is an awful attempt, but it has to be said that for a band as big as PRESIDENT, to tease amazing songs like Doom Loop and then create something that is below in quality as a whole, it doesn’t do the band’s discography any sort of acknowledgement. Fans will either love or hate this album; that much is clear. However, it cannot be ignored that it is a hollow attempt at making something that should have been delivered with excellence.
FFO: Bring Me The Horizon, Thornhill, Enter Shikari
