In a recent video, metal commentator Metal Pilgrim didn’t hold back when discussing the rise of mysterious masked bands, a trend reignited by groups like Sleep Token, and long popularized by icons such as Slipknot. His comments came in response to the debut of a new British act named President, a masked band that launched their first single “In the Name of the Father” to viral numbers and instant buzz.
With cinematic visuals, anonymous members, and a heavy/electronic hybrid sound, President has drawn immediate comparisons to Sleep Token, so much so that fans are already speculating it could be a secret side project.
But for Metal Pilgrim, the formula feels increasingly stale:
“If it is another new band which is being launched in exactly the same way as gazillion other bands have been launched in the past couple of years… I actually think that it is the most boring thing ever.”
He acknowledged that if President turns out to be a genuine offshoot of Sleep Token, it might make some sense — but otherwise, he sees the mystery-first approach as more marketing cliché than artistic innovation.
“Trying to appear non-mainstream by doing the most mainstream thing imaginable — it’s just exhausting,” he added.
Interestingly, President was already announced as part of the lineup for Download Festival, months before releasing any music — a rare and bold move that adds both intrigue and skepticism to their emergence.
While the mystique of anonymity once helped bands like Slipknot break through the noise, critics like Metal Pilgrim now question whether the “masked and mysterious” route has become more of a branding shortcut than a genuine creative choice.
Only time will tell if President is the next big thing — or just the next band in a long line of theatrics.
