Stoner rock may be rooted in heavy riffs and hazy atmospheres, but for Finnish fuzz driven outfit Heezer, the story begins in a rehearsal room during the quiet, uncertain days of 2020. What started as a casual jam between friends quickly sparked something bigger, an unmistakable chemistry that would evolve into one of Finland’s most exciting underground rock acts.
We sat down with Ville Häsä and Ville Räsänen to talk about their origins, the meaning behind their name, the making of their second album Stereolith, and what lies ahead for Heezer.
Hi guys, how are you doing today?
Ville Häsä: Hi! Thanks for asking. It’s a rainy early autumn day in Finland.
Ville Räsänen: Hi! Everything looks good. Its Friday now and I’m preparing my sons first birthday this weekend.
Heezer formed in 2020 during the pandemic, but what is the story behind the band’s creation?
Ville Häsä: Our guitarist Sami asked me to come jam at the rehearsal space because he had nothing to do. I invited Ville-Veikko and Antti along, and we realized that playing together worked really well right from the start! That’s how it all began.
Ville Räsänen: Our drummer Ville asked me to join in a stoner rock band with few guys (Sami & Antti) when we were recording EP for our metal band at the time. I missed the first rehearsals, and the guys send me a video. It was a poor quality mobile phone video, but I instantly heard that there was something in that sound I want to be part of.
I am curious about the name; why did you choose to call the band Heezer?
Ville Häsä: It’s sort of a play on words. The Finnish term “hiisaaja” could be translated into English as “heezer”—meaning someone who smokes weed. And it’s funny, of course, that it sounds like Weezer.
Ville Räsänen: The name is a loose translation of a Finnish slang term for a chain-smoker. We wanted a short, punchy name for the band, and a name that started out as a joke ended up sticking.
You have just released your second album, Stereolith. What can you tell us about its genesis and lyrical themes, and how does it differ from your debut album?
Ville Häsä: As the singer, Sami could tell you more about the lyrics, but otherwise, it differs from the debut album—at the very least—by having better songs, better sound, and better production. The band is also much more experienced and confident than on the debut. We are really pleased with the result.
Ville Räsänen: With ”Sungrinder”, we encountered many pitfalls, even though the end result turned out quite well. For ”Stereolith” we made everything better. We have been playing more together, song writing has evolved and we did our homeworks with pre-production. Of course the final result was also influenced by the excellent studio where we recorded the basic tracks, as well as the producer and recording engineer – EMMA nominee Miitri Aaltonen.
We tried to get a decent record label to release “Stereolith”, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find such a partner. So, we released the album ourselves and got what we wanted. It’s just that this approach requires alot more work.
Do you have a personal favorite track on Stereolith? If so, which one and what makes it stand out for you?
Ville Häsä: I have a few favorite tracks, but I particularly like the album’s final song, “Desert.” It’s a truly epic conclusion to the album, and we put a lot of work into the arrangement to make it all come together.
Ville Räsänen: I would say ”Desert”. We work with that one a lot and it turned out perfect. I poured a lot of emotions regarding my late older sister’s difficult final years into the song.
Your sound is described as stoner rock, who would you say are your main musical influences?
Ville Häsä: Our music incorporates a wide range of influences that each musician has brought to the table based on their own preferences. In addition to stoner rock, you can hear traces of grunge, punk, pop, and heavy metal in our sound.
Ville Räsänen: I agree with my namesake. Heezer is a melting pot of our different playing styles. If I had to name a band, I´d say bands like Slomosa, Alice In Chains and Down.
You have played several shows across Finland in the past years, with a few still ahead in 2026. What does your live schedule look like for 2027?
Ville Häsä: A couple of tracks were left off the album, and we’ll likely release them early next year. We might even head to the studio to record an extra song or two for this release—we’ll see. We have some scheduled performances early in the year, but after that, we don’t have any concrete plans.
Ville Räsänen: Next year’s gig schedule is still quite open. We aim to play at festivals where loud fuzz music is featured, but such events are scarce in our home country; Sweden and Germany could be interesting markets in that regard. We played a few shows at great Finnish clubs this year—such as Semifinal and On the Rocks—so we are also looking to raise our profile when it comes to club gigs.
We are reaching the end of the interview, thank you for your time. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?
Ville Häsä: Thanks a lot! Greetings to the band’s fans, and see you at the gigs!
Ville Räsänen: Thanks for the interview, and thanks to everyone reading this. Support bands and go to shows – that’s what makes this possible. Even the biggest bands started out small.
Heezer line-up:
Sami Kääriäinen – vocals, guitar
Ville Räsänen – guitar
Antti Vesikko – bass
Ville Häsä – drums