[Cover photo credit Toni Hiltunen]

The Ghoulstars are from Finland and steeped in Pop culture. Identifying as Horror Punks, the band will release their debut album, The Dark Overlords of the Universe, on May 15, 2026. A video has been released for the title track, out now.

Ghoulstars guitarist Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso says of the title track:

The Dark Overlords of the Universe are an evil alien race from the 1986 film Howard the Duck. The movie bombed at the box office, but I’m glad those many-teethed mutants never left my brain. Not only did they give us the perfect name for our first album, they also spawned the title track, which is probably the catchiest song I’ve ever written.  We are excited to finally unleash it upon the world!.

The band features a well known cast of current and former members of Death-Doom artists and Season of Mist labelmates Hooded Menace, Stoner Rock band Thermate and Finland’s Top Ten charting Kuolemanlaakso.

The music video has visual cues to Barbarella, Kill Bill, Sin City and the Swedish buddy cop film Kopps. The song itself is combination of Surf beats, heavy riffs and a cameo from Finnish star and Fly-Eyed master Tuple Salmela.

Laasko says of the album:

The Dark Overlords of the Universe is a love letter to everything that blew our minds as kids. The album is loaded with huge riffs, big choruses, surprising curve balls and Easter eggs from old horror, sci-fi and coming-of-age movies. Holding it all together is our sheer joy in watching all the pieces fall into the right place.