The Ghoulstars Premiere ‘The Dark Overlords of the Universe’
Posted on May 14, 2026
More information about The Dark Overlords of the Universe
Flying saucers, a pet werewolf, Ghostbustin’ proton streams, joyrides in the Cadillac that once belonged to Children of Bodom vocalist and guitarist Alexi “Wildchild” Laiho. Meet The Ghoulstars, a fresh – and frightening blast from pop-culture’s past. Since beaming down onto their native haunt of Finland, these horror punks have tantalized crowds and captured the attention of CNN, Metal Hammer and other international press with their monstrously catchy mash-up of metal, punk and cult classics. Their blockbuster debut album, The Dark Overlords of the Universe, hits shelves tomorrow, Friday, May 15.
“A monstrously good opening move that’s sure to invite repeated listens”, Soundi wrote about The Dark Overlords of the Universe in a 4/5 review. “This is a band you’ll definitely want to hear more from in the future”.
“It’s like a delicious kid’s cereal that has a shockingly healthy nutritional label and way more fiber than you remember: it’s good shit”, New Noise attests in an interview with The Ghoulstars guitarist Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso.
Lucky ghouls can hear all of The Dark Overlords of the Universe before the album comes out tomorrow by listening to the full album stream today on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
“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!”.
Listen to The Dark Overlords of the Universe
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Available formats
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CD Digipack
12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12″ Colored Vinyl Gatefold (Yellow, red and white marbled)
Despite their ghostly appearance, The Ghoulstars are a collection of real talent. Axeman Daddy Ghoul and goose-bumping drummer Toni “Ghoulio” Ronkainen shared a past life together in Kuolemanlaakso. Bassist Markus “Hella Ghoul” Makkonen formerly haunted the low end for Hooded Menace while moonhowler Arthur “LL Ghoul A” Thure croons for the stoner rockers Thermate.
While the initial inspiration for The Ghoulstars came after burning rubber to Venom, The Dark Overlords of the Universe is possessed by a love for everything that blew the band’s minds as kids. The title track crosses surf beats, heavy riffing and a hair-raising transition into a chorus that’s absolutely to die for. 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.
“The record is unique, catchy and a really fun listen”, says Triptykon guitarist and vocalist V. Santura, who mixed and mastered The Dark Overlords of the Universe.
The Misfits, White Zombie and other cultishly beloved touchstones like The Wolfman jump out during the album’s crisp 34-minute runtime. “Graverobbers from Outer Space” pays homage to an Ed Wood B-horror classic with a headbanging chorus, though not many straight-up punk rippers are enlivened by a doomy C-part and güiro. The Ghoulstars also enter original plots into 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.
The Ghoulstars may be undead, but there’s nothing pale or lifeless about The Dark Overlords of the Universe. Thanks to the rapid anticipation around the album, the band have signed to Nem Agency, which is one of the largest music promoters in Finland. Keep your eyes peeled for more live dates coming soon!
More advanced praise for The Dark Overlords of the Universe
“The Ghoulstars are not here to politely tap on the coffin lid. They are kicking it open, dragging a stack of old VHS tapes behind them, cranking the riffs, and throwing listeners head first into a world of horror punk, metal, cult cinema, big choruses and glorious B movie madness” – Crannk
“The Ghoulstars look every inch the genre’s breakout act of 2026” – My Global Mind
“The Dark Overlords of the Universe is unique, catchy, and disturbingly entertaining” – The Metallist
“Horror punk at its finest” – Ramzine
“[…]The Dark Overlords of the Universe is pretty irresistible” – Sentinel Daily
“Fans of The Misfits, Wednesday 13, and White Zombie should swarm to this like freshly turned corpses sniffing out warm flesh” – Black Angel Promotion
“If you enjoy music steeped in pop culture and horror films, grab this album and devour it like the vile creatures you are”. – Pavillon666
“The Ghoulstars just get right down to business and deliver ten tracks of no-nonsense and to-the-point noisy songs, leaving you barely any room to catch your breath as they hit you with one solid track after another” – Soundscape
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