The Ghoulstars: Full album stream live now ahead of Friday releas

THE GHOULSTARS, the Finnish horror punk supergroup, release their debut album The Dark Overlords of the Universe through Season of Mist tomorrow, May 15, 2026. Ten tracks and 34 minutes of metal, punk and cult cinema obsession, the album draws on a lifetime of B-movies, VHS contraband and record crate archaeology to construct something unapologetically fun and surprisingly sharp.

Stream The Dark Overlords of the Universe: https://youtu.be/6uAwQcqbEHU

Musically, The Dark Overlords of the Universe moves between surf beats, death-tinged riffing, fifties bass runs and Danzig-esque crooning, landing somewhere between The Misfits, White Zombie and Entombed with occasional Volbeat detours. The songs are direct and hook-driven, but the album has range: the galloping Morricone-inflected pulse of “The Dead in Purgatory” sits comfortably alongside the blunt punk force of “Graverobbers from Outer Space” and the riff-heavy title track, which opens onto a chorus built to be shouted back at a stage. Several tracks draw directly from classic horror and sci-fi cinema, with spoken word samples and lyrical homages woven throughout.

Guest appearances come from Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns of Finntroll and …and Oceans, who contributes backing growls, and Tommi “Tuple” Salmela of Tarot and Raskasta Joulua, who adds backing vocals on the title track.

The Ghoulstars formed in Finland in 2021 and spent several years building a live following and generating press attention — including coverage from CNN and Metal Hammer — without releasing a single track. Guitarist and chief songwriter Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso and drummer Toni “Ghoulio” Ronkainen previously played together in the Top Ten-charting Finnish death-doom band Kuolemanlaakso. Bassist Markus “Hella Ghoul” Makkonen came from Season of Mist labelmates Hooded Menace, and vocalist Arthur “LL Ghoul A” Thure fronts the stoner rock outfit Thermate. Since signing to Nem Agency, one of Finland’s largest music promoters, the band have confirmed further live dates.

The Dark Overlords of the Universe was produced by Markus Laakso. Guitars were recorded by Markus Laakso and Erkka Närhi; vocals by Markus Laakso and Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns; drums by Erkka Närhi; bass by Samu Männikkö and Markus Laakso; percussion by Markus Laakso. The album was mixed and mastered by V. Santura at Woodshed Studio in Germany. Cover artwork is by Niko Anttila, with photography by Sam Jamsen, Marc Sabat and Toni Hiltunen, edited by Markus Laakso.

Pre-order & pre-save: https://orcd.co/theghoulstarsdarkoverlords

Tracklist:
1. Too Ghoul for School (3:57)
2. The Dead in Purgatory (4:04)
3. Zombie Apocalypse (2:52)
4. The Dark Overlords of the Universe (3:43)
5. The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (3:16)
6. Graverobbers from Outer Space (3:46)
7. The Wolfman (2:48)
8. The Ballad of the Cursed Bandits (2:19)
9. Vampire (2:58)
10. They Dance Upon Our Graves (3:52)
Full runtime: 33:37

Country: Finland (FI)
Style: Horror Punk/Metal
FFO: The Misfits, White Zombie, Murderdolls

Old crusty metalheads can be stuck in their ways, but THE GHOULSTARS are a fresh—and frightening—blast from the past. Since invading the land of the living back in 2021, the horror punk supergroup has captivated press and tantalized crowds in their native haunt of Finland without releasing a single bloody track. Until now! Evil mastermind Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso and his fellow pop-culture junkies are raising the cobwebbed curtain from their blockbuster debut album. On The Dark Overlords of the Universe, no tome is too sacred for these ghouls to summon back to life!

“The Dark Overlords of the Universe is a love letter to our fifteen-year-old selves”, Laakso says. “It’s crammed with headbanging metal riffs, shout-along punk rock choruses, B-movie easter eggs, ’80s aesthetics, surprising curveballs and the sheer joy of all the pieces falling into the right places. Move over, Rover, and let the ghouls take over!”

Despite their ghostly appearance, The Ghoulstars are a collection of real talent. Axeman Laakso and goose-bumping drummer Toni “Ghoulio” Ronkainen shared a past life together in the Top Ten charting Finnish death-doom band Kuolemanlaakso. Bassist Markus “Hella Ghoul” Makkonen formerly haunted the low end for Season of Mist labelmates Hooded Menace while moonhowler Arthur “LL Ghoul A” Thure croons for the stoner rockers Thermate.

Banding The Ghoulstars together is a freaky obsession with the classic metal, punk and movies that blew their minds as kids. The Dark Overlords of the Universe is named after the many-teethed mutants from the 1986 cult classic Howard the Duck. “I grew up during a time when movies in Finland were censored, so my hobby was collecting uncensored VHS tapes of horror and sci-fi movies any way I could”, Laakso reveals. As a young skeleton, he frequently raided European record store crates for The Misfits, Bad Religion and obscure metal finds, though the album’s lead single spun off from his schooling in the U.S. With Mötley Crüe’s pomp and the can’t-do attitude of Twisted Sister roaming its halls, lead single “Too Ghoul for School” is jam-packed with more fun-filled ’80s antics than Saturday afternoon detention.

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Lost Boys and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are some of my favorite movies”, Laakso says. “I love the cliched characters: the nerds, the jocks, the cool kids and the rebels. They remind me of my junior high school days.”

To bring their ingenious creation to life, The Ghoulstars summoned V. Santura of the mighty Triptykon for the mixing and mastering of The Dark Overlords of the Universe. “Graverobbers from Outer Space” pays homage to Ed Wood’s B-horror classic Plan 9 from Outer Space with a straight-up headbanging chorus, though not many clear-cut punk rippers are enlivened by a doomy C-part and güiro. “That’s one of my favorite moments on the album”, Laakso recalls. The Wolfman, a zombie apocalypse, the brain that wouldn’t die and other cultishly beloved touchstones jump out during the album’s crisp 34-minute runtime. Though the band also enter original plots to horror’s hallowed crypt. Set amidst the cruel unfeeling world of the Wild West, “The Dead in Purgatory” rides a galloping melody after Morricone’s heart into a sunset that’s colored by the fifty shades of Volbeat.

“No spoilers, but all cowboy hats aside, that song deals with feeling hopeless and abandoned by someone close to you who needs but refuses your help”, teases Laakso.

The Ghoulstars may be undead, but there’s nothing pale or lifeless about The Dark Overlords of the Universe. The title track crosses surf beats, heavy riffing and a hair-raising transition into a chorus that’s absolutely to die for. “We can’t wait to unleash this delightful horror upon the world”, Laakso says with an ominous glint in his bloodshot eye. “As V. Santura told me: ‘The record is unique, catchy and a really fun listen’.”

With The Dark Overlords of the Universe, The Ghoulstars direct a monstrously catchy mash-up between metal, punk and B-horror.

Line-up:
Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso — Guitars
Toni “Ghoulio” Ronkainen — Drums
Arthur “LL Ghoul A” Thure — Vocals
Markus “Hella Ghoul” Makkonen — Bass

Guest Musicians:
Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns — Backing Growls
Tommi “Tuple” Salmela — Backing Vocals on “The Dark Overlords of the Universe”

Follow The Ghoulstars:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theghoulstars/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theghoulstars/
Website: https://www.theghoulstars.com/
Bandcamp: https://theghoulstars.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Pr3ThFZK0tnUDqDSlMuBX
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/the-ghoulstars/1872811142
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGhoulstars