From the snowy stillness of Klaukkala, Finland, where winter often swallows roads and forests into silence, rises Weak Trees, a band grounded in brotherhood, experience, and a raw love for music that grows like roots through cold soil. The group was formed by twin brothers Juuso Heiskanen and Joonas Heiskanen, whose creative chemistry is built not just on shared blood, but on years of shaping sound side by side. Completing this trio is Antti Erola, commanding the bass with seasoned depth and bringing his long-earned experience into both performance and songwriting, adding strength and maturity to the band’s core. Weak Trees draws from a palette of influences as wide as the northern sky, from the blues-rock grit of ZZ Top to the angst of Nirvana, a blend that gradually evolved into their signature mix of grunge, alternative, stoner rock, heavy psych and blues-tinted heaviness. Their music remains intentionally raw and unfiltered, a reflection of both their sound and their process.
The band records through a DIY garage-built studio, preserving every grain of distortion, every breath of the amp, every natural imperfection that gives life to their sound. Authenticity is their language, loud, emotional, and honest. On January 17, 2025, Weak Trees released their first album “Unsuffering”, a reflective diary-like body of work built on life events, moods, and gritty undertones. It became the foundation of their evolving journey, followed by the singles “Shine Alone” and “Animal”, each revealing deeper shades of their creative identity. With every release, Weak Trees strengthens their place as a band whose music is shaped not in polished studios, but in real moments, raw experiences, and the cold breath of Finnish nights. Released on 26 September 2025, “Animal” arrives like a memory frozen in snow and warmed by fire, a song born from a real winter night in a Finnish forest that ended in laughter, fear, relief, and love.
It is a tribute carved from heavy snowfall, knee-high drifts, firewood dragged on sleds, and the loyal companionship of dogs who stood beside the band through countless adventures. In that night, when drunken footsteps vanished beneath fresh snow and a lone wanderer found salvation through a dog named Elvis, the heart of “Animal” was formed. The track captures that moment with unfiltered sincerity: the cold, the confusion, the storm-like snowfall, the spark of fire finally catching, and the joy of being found. It is a song for every loyal dog, alive or gone, and for the human instinct to return to warmth, safety, and home. With its heavy grunge weight, alternative heartbeat and raw garage-born texture, “Animal” stands as both a memory and an offering, a loud, heartfelt reminder of the animals we love and the wild inside us all.
“Animal” by Weak Trees begins with an atmosphere that immediately commands attention, drawing the listener into a brooding world shaped by shadows, instinct, and simmering emotional tension. The opening is slow and immersive, allowing the guitars to stretch outward with a thick, buzzing resonance that feels alive, almost breathing. There is an unmistakable weight in these first few seconds, as if something untamed is stirring beneath the surface, waiting to emerge. The tonal density and the deliberately paced introduction evoke the image of a dark forest at night, the very place that inspired the creation of the song, where silence is never truly silent and every sound hints at something deeper. Rather than rushing into full force, the band lets the mood swell gradually, giving listeners time to sink into the atmosphere. This choice sets an evocative tone and establishes the primal, introspective energy that drives the length of the track, preparing the ear for the storm that slowly builds behind those heavy, hovering textures.
When the instrumentation expands, the guitars become the dominant voice, filling the space with a rugged, gritty fullness that defines the character of the track. Their distortion is rich and unpolished, carrying a coarse texture that feels intentionally raw rather than refined. This gives the sound a natural, organic heaviness, aligning perfectly with the band’s DIY recording ethos. Each chord rings out with a buzzing electricity, forming a sonic landscape that is both immersive and slightly chaotic in the most compelling way. The guitars move between thick, grinding riffs and subtler, psychedelic-tinted nuances that drift beneath the main progression, adding depth and dimension to the mix. These hidden layers shimmer just enough to be felt rather than overtly heard, contributing to the hypnotic, foggy atmosphere surrounding the track. The playing is forceful without being aggressive, expressive without being overly clean, making the guitars the emotional anchor that communicates the restless spirit embedded in the song.
The rhythm section strengthens this intensity, grounding the track with a deep, resonant foundation that adds fuel to its momentum. The drums come in with a punchy, deliberate presence, each hit precise, heavy, and clearly felt through the layered guitars. The kick drum acts like a steady heartbeat, pushing the song forward with controlled energy, while the snare cracks with sharp authority, cutting through the distorted textures with clarity. The use of cymbals adds several atmospheric shades: they crash loudly during high-energy moments, but they also shimmer softly at the edges of transitions, giving the rhythm a dynamic, almost cinematic quality. Paired with this is the bass, which thickens the entire arrangement with its low, rumbling frequency. The bass doesn’t simply follow the guitars; it enriches them, providing a dark undercurrent that makes the track feel full-bodied and immersive. Together, the drums and bass form a rhythmic spine that gives the song its primal pulse, reinforcing the raw energy that defines “Animal.”
The vocals introduce another layer of depth, carrying an emotive weight that ties the entire composition together. The vocal tone is lamenting, bold, and tinged with an almost psychedelic haze that softens the rough edges while still maintaining intensity. There is a lived-in texture to the voice, a graininess that feels honest and unfiltered, matching the rugged mood of the instrumentation. The emotional delivery rises and falls fluidly, mirroring the progression of the track; in quieter moments, the voice lingers with introspective vulnerability, and in the heavier sections, it pushes forward with cathartic force. This dynamic approach allows the vocal performance to serve as both storyteller and emotional core. Rather than overpowering the arrangement, the vocals blend seamlessly into the mix, becoming one with the swirling guitars and driving drums. The sense of restraint mixed with outburst gives the impression of someone wrestling with internal turbulence, perfectly complementing the song’s theme of primal instinct and barely contained emotion.
As the track progresses, its structure reveals a gradual evolution that keeps the listener engaged while maintaining a cohesive emotional arc. Instead of relying on dramatic, abrupt shifts, “Animal” builds its energy through layering, repetition, and a growing density of sound. The transitions feel natural and purposeful, guiding the listener deeper into the track’s dark, atmospheric world. The steady, hypnotic groove ensures that even as the intensity rises, the foundation remains stable and grounded. The subtle additions of harmonic overtones, resonant feedback, and tonal shifts enrich the sonic field, giving the track a sense of expansive depth. These elements work together to create a slow-burning progression that draws the listener inward, allowing the heaviness to settle into the body rather than simply hitting the ears. The pacing is patient yet powerful, giving each section enough time to bloom fully before moving on, creating an immersive experience that feels both vast and intimate.
A raw, atmospheric tribute to loyalty and instinct, ‘Animal’ leads listeners through snowy forests of emotion with heavy, honest rock energy.
By the time the song reaches its conclusion, “Animal” leaves behind a lingering sense of catharsis, as if the listener has journeyed through an emotional wilderness and emerged changed. The ending retains the weight and tension that define the track, but it also allows the energy to level out gradually, creating a satisfying, grounded finish. The guitars remain thick and expressive, the drums steady and impactful, and the vocals echo with the remnants of emotion carried throughout the song. This final moment feels like the slow release of breath after a long buildup, allowing the raw, instinctive power of the track to settle gently without losing its potency. Weak Trees manages to craft a sound that is unfiltered yet deliberate, chaotic yet controlled, heavy yet deeply expressive. “Animal” stands as a testament to the band’s ability to fuse atmosphere, emotion, and raw rock energy into a unified experience that resonates long after the final note fades.
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