Sleep Token and Slipknot can’t have all the fun. A new masked, mysterious project has emerged, and the internet is already posting its theories.
PRESIDENT first began “campaigning” on social media on February 18, though the YouTube channel was originally created on January 1, 2025.
Initially, TikTok users thought that this might be Sleep Token at work with more tunes or that Ghost was revealing more about their new leader.
However, some eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Charlie Simpson, an OG member of UK pop-punk band Busted and also frontman of post-hardcore outfit Fightstar, filed a trademark for the band name in January 2025. Specifically, Komorebi Entertainment Limited, a company owned by Simpson and his wife Anna, filed the trademark.
Beyond these documents, the vibe simply fits Simpson, too. One TikTok user said, “This video could be silent, and you can tell it’s Charlie from his movements. Life long Fightstar fan knowledge.” And on Reddit, a thread compares the screams in the teaser video to Fightstar’s “Deathcar” and “Behind The Devil’s Back.”
Additionally, some TikTokers heard the seconds-long teaser from their debut song and heard production akin to Jordan Fish. Could he also be a masked member of the masked metal outfit? After all, there are many allegations of PRESIDENT being a metal supergroup.
Or perhaps, former Periphery member Adam “Nolly” Getgood had a hand in making this forthcoming metal/djent track. Per a Reddit deep dive, the PRESIDENT band Instagram account followed a handful of industry pros before resetting their following count to 0. This included Nolly, as well as his GetGood Drums software company page, and Daniel P. Carter, Zakk Cervini, and Aristides Guitars.
Read more: So… Are Music Festivals Getting Worse? The Internet Thinks So
However, one can trace that PRESIDENT’s band website is crafted by Allotment Productions, a creative agency that works with the likes of Sleep Token, IDLES, and more. Plus, PRESIDENT’s Facebook page reveals a contact email for Future History Management, an artist management firm owned by Ryan Richards. Now, Future History has a handful of massive artists on their roster, such as Sleep Token and Holding Absence. And who is the director of this management company? Andy Copping, aka the co-booker of Download Festival.
And let’s be clear, this all absolutely makes sense…
The band is poised to drop their debut song, “In The Name Of The Father,” on Friday, May 16, with a video to come, too. Despite the band’s lack of music, they are set to appear at Download Festival on Sunday, June 15. Soooo, we can deduce that the act likely comes from the UK (they’ve formatted the release date of their first single in day–month–year format and their website contains a UK Cookie Consent plugin) and has roots in the industry.
On Download Festival’s site, PRESIDENT’s description reads: “Citizens, the time has come. No names. No past. No distractions. Only the mission ahead. At Download Festival, the inauguration begins. Not with words, but with action. Not with empty promises, but with undeniable force. There will be no campaign, no debate, no opposition. Only one truth: President has arrived. The oath will be taken. The people will decide. History will be made.”
With religious symbolism and creepy, old-timey American president jingles, we are in for a wild ride, and we are strapped in. While identities may not be officially revealed any time soon, we can rest assured that the project already has us hooked.
Listen to “In The Name Of The Father” in full below.
