Finland’s The Ghoulstars have been haunting their home turf since 2021 without releasing a single track. That changes May 15, when their debut album ‘The Dark Overlords of the Universe’ drops on Season of Mist. Ten tracks, 34 minutes, and a monstrously catchy collision of horror punk, heavy metal and cult cinema obsession.
Assembled by guitarist Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso, the lineup carries serious underground weight. Laakso and drummer Toni “Ghoulio” Ronkainen previously charted together in Finnish death-doom outfit Kuolemanlaakso. Bassist Markus “Hella Ghoul” Makkonen comes from Season of Mist labelmates Hooded Menace, and vocalist Arthur “LL Ghoul A” Thure fronts stoner rockers Thermate. This isn’t a novelty project. It’s a supergroup with a genuine horror fixation and the riffs to back it up.
Laakso describes the album as “a love letter to our fifteen-year-old selves,” crammed with headbanging metal riffs, shout-along punk choruses and B-movie easter eggs. The influences are worn proudly: The Misfits, White Zombie, Murderdolls, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister and a VHS collection that would make any horror hound jealous. Lead single “Too Ghoul for School” channels ’80s high school films with the energy of Saturday detention and zero intention of behaving.
The title track, inspired by the many-teethed mutants from 1986 cult classic Howard the Duck, crosses surf beats with heavy riffing and a chorus that lodges itself permanently in your skull. “Graverobbers from Outer Space” pays tribute to Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space with a headbanging chorus and a doomy C-part punctuated by güiro. “The Dead in Purgatory” rides a Morricone-influenced galloping melody into Volbeat territory, while carrying an emotional core about feeling helpless when someone close refuses your help.
Mixed and mastered by V. Santura of Triptykon at Woodshed Studio in Germany, ‘The Dark Overlords of the Universe’ sounds as sharp as its concept. Santura himself called it “unique, catchy and a really fun listen,” and he’s not wrong. Guest appearances from Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns of Finntroll and Tommi “Tuple” Salmela of Tarot add extra bite.
‘The Dark Overlords of the Universe’ arrives May 15 on Season of Mist, available on digital download, CD digipack, black vinyl and yellow, red and white marbled colored vinyl.
Tracklist:
- Too Ghoul for School (3:57)
- The Dead in Purgatory (4:04)
- Zombie Apocalypse (2:52)
- The Dark Overlords of the Universe (3:43)
- The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (3:16)
- Graverobbers from Outer Space (3:46)
- The Wolfman (2:48)
- The Ballad of the Cursed Bandits (2:19)
- Vampire (2:58)
- They Dance Upon Our Graves (3:52)