Ceased Sunfire don’t just play heavy music. They excavate it from the darker corners of human experience.
Since forming from Helsinki’s thriving underground in winter 2021, this Finnish trio has carved out territory where stoner metal meets psychological lyrical themes, creating sonic landscapes as crushing as they are cathartic.
Vocalist-guitarist-songwriter Ale assembled the initial lineup after his previous band’s demise, finding perfect conspirators in bassist Fellu and drummer Juza. What started as auditions quickly became chemistry. Both were musicians who could match Ale’s vision for riffs that don’t just pummel, but penetrate.
The band’s early sessions at CBH Recordings with producer Juho Karenko captured lightning in a bottle. Their 2022 debut EP Sleepless established Ceased Sunfire’s credentials: heavy stoner grooves wrapped around melodic introspection, drawing from Alice in Chains’ emotional weight and Pink Floyd’s atmospheric depth, while nodding to Finnish heavyweights like Swallow the Sun and Amorphis.
September 2023’s full-length The Divide marked their true arrival. The album plunged headfirst into doomic stoner depths: thick, churning riffs swirling beneath Ale’s haunting vocals, reminiscent of 90’s genre pioneers at their most ominous.
Juza’s thunderous beats formed the backbone alongside Fellu’s snarling bass. Tracks like “The Bridge” delivered hammer-blow riffs wrapped in murky psychedelia, while “Sunny In Your Head” showcased ritualistic harmonies erupting into metallic fury.
Early 2024 brought the first lineup change when Juza parted ways with the band, with Jakke stepping behind the kit. However, March 2025 saw another transition as Max became the band’s current drummer, bringing fresh energy to their evolving sound.
The sound has evolved considerably since those early days. While maintaining their stoner metal foundation, Ceased Sunfire has embraced elements of sludge and groove metal, with a more technical approach replacing some of the psychedelic wandering. The new material still features jam passages, but they’re filtered through a distinctly metal aesthetic… Heavier, more focused, more devastating.
Live, they’ve become fixtures in Helsinki’s underground circuit, crushing audiences at many UG venues. After limiting their 2025 live activity to focus on writing, the band has retreated to perfect their craft, emerging with their strongest material yet.
The upcoming second album represents their most intense work to date. Ale’s lyrics dig deeper into themes of failed communication, neglect, toxic relationships, and substance abuse survival. This territory demands the heavier sonic framework the band has developed. While Ale remains the primary songwriter, Fellu and Max contribute significantly to arrangements, creating a truly collaborative sound that showcases each member’s versatility within the stoner metal framework.
With great chemistry and a clear vision for their heavier direction, Ceased Sunfire stand poised to make their mark beyond Helsinki’s underground. They’ve found their voice in the spaces between crushing riffs and brutally honest lyrics, and that voice is getting louder.