The empire is getting its act together, but there's still some work to do.

PRESIDENT's debut full-length, Blood of Your Empire, takes the electronic metalcore, polished heaviness, and atmospheric experimentation of their King of Terrors EP and attempts to turn those ingredients into something more cohesive. My biggest issue with that earlier release was how often the different elements felt like they were competing for attention. Djent riffs, trap beats, ambient synths, rap sections, and heavily processed vocals all had their moments, but they rarely felt like parts of the same song.

Here, PRESIDENT sound more confident about combining those styles, and the cleaner production gives the music considerably more room to breathe. There are still some questionable decisions, but this feels like a band beginning to understand how to make its strange ideas work together.

“Angel Wings” immediately shows the improvement. Soft, washed-out electronic textures establish a dreamy atmosphere before the clean vocals and heavier guitars gradually take over. The transition feels surprisingly natural, with the chunky riffs and deep drums adding weight without completely destroying the melodic side. The chorus is catchy, the vocals have a strong presence, and the heavier sections actually feel connected to the softer material surrounding them. There are still some unusual choices, but the song flows much better than much of the previous EP. It's a strong introduction to a record that feels more interested in writing complete songs than simply stacking interesting sounds on top of one another.

That progress continues through “DOOM LOOP,” which uses booming synths, distorted vocal effects, and an industrial electronic pulse to create something genuinely catchy. The modern metalcore influence is obvious, but PRESIDENT sound less like they're trying to imitate another masked alternative-metal act and more like they're developing their own combination of electronic pop and heavy music. The riffs land with considerably more force when the drums enter, and the quieter sections give the bigger screams somewhere to go. “dark heaven” is less consistent, particularly when the trap-inspired beats and rap delivery interrupt the heavier sections, but its thick bass, tight djent riffs, and layered choir still make it one of the more interesting experiments here.

“Pink Noise” pushes the electronic side even further. The opening synths have a dreamy, almost anime-soundtrack quality before the guitars and faster drums arrive, creating a strange collision between atmospheric pop and aggressive metalcore. I like how the track moves between those contrasting sounds, especially when the synths expand into something almost cinematic. The middle section is particularly effective because it allows the electronic elements to become the focus instead of treating them as a temporary introduction to another breakdown. The ending is less convincing, though, with some stiff drumming and oversized vocals making the song feel slightly less controlled than it initially promises.

“Mercy” is one of the strongest moments because PRESIDENT finally sound comfortable letting the softer side of their music carry an entire song. The clean vocals have enough presence to hold your attention, while the heavier guitars and deep drums provide a substantial foundation without constantly fighting for the spotlight. There's a clear alternative-metal influence here, with a melancholic atmosphere that makes the track feel more emotionally grounded than some of the flashier material. “Sleepwalker” follows a similarly melodic direction, combining upbeat electronic rhythms, thick bass, and softer vocal passages with heavier riffs. The recurring spoken sample about ignoring expectations and doing what you want is a little too blunt, but the arrangement itself works, particularly when it winds down into piano and soaring clean vocals.

The album becomes more uneven when it returns to some of the ideas from the earlier EP. “Dionysus” has strong riffs, punchy drums, and some solid clean singing, but the trap-inspired sections still feel slightly awkward against the heavier instrumentation. Meanwhile, “This Will Divide Us” provides a welcome change of pace through soft piano, restrained vocals, and subtle trumpet textures. It's one of the more genuinely moving moments on the record because the arrangement doesn't constantly interrupt its own atmosphere. The quieter presentation feels sincere, and it gives the album some emotional breathing room before the stranger experiments return.

“Hate Figure,” featuring Ando San, is where I felt that familiar King of Terrors frustration creeping back in. The instrumental has some cool moments, particularly when the guitars and drums lock into a heavier groove, but the combination of rap vocals, trap production, screams, and softer R&B-influenced passages feels disjointed. The guest appearance does its job, yet the different styles don't quite connect into a convincing whole. After “This Will Divide Us” establishes such a sincere emotional mood, the abrupt stylistic shift makes the album feel like it's returning to the same experimental habits that previously held the band back. “White Devil” finishes things on a more interesting note, with playful piano figures, catchy electronic beats, and heavier riffs that give the track an identity beyond the usual modern metalcore formula.

The production is a noticeable improvement over King of Terrors. The bass has more weight, the drums sound punchier, and the guitars generally occupy their own space instead of disappearing underneath the synths and vocal effects. The electronic elements also feel more deliberate, particularly when PRESIDENT allow them to shape the rhythm or atmosphere rather than simply placing them between heavy sections. The vocals remain a mixed bag, but the cleaner singing is a real strength. Whenever the lead performance becomes more melodic and expressive, the songs tend to feel more complete. The rap-oriented passages are less successful, occasionally making the heavier material feel like several different ideas stitched together.

What ultimately works in Blood of Your Empire is that PRESIDENT have become more disciplined without abandoning their experimental side. “Angel Wings,” “DOOM LOOP,” and “Mercy” show how effective their combination of electronics, melody, and heavy guitars can be, while “Pink Noise” demonstrates that the band can stretch beyond a conventional metalcore structure. The weaker moments reveal that they haven't completely solved the problem of making every influence serve the same song, especially when trap and rap enter the arrangement.

Compared with King of Terrors, this is a meaningful step forward. The production is stronger, the songwriting is more focused, and the best tracks sound like they belong to a band rather than a collection of competing ideas. I still think PRESIDENT need to be more selective about their experiments, because some of the stranger vocal and electronic choices distract from otherwise strong compositions. But there is enough here to show that the project has potential beyond its masked presentation and mysterious identity. Blood of Your Empire doesn't completely settle PRESIDENT's sound, but it gives them a much stronger foundation to build on.