THE GHOULSTARS Announce Support Shows on TURMION KÄTILÖT’s Resodance Tour 2026

Photo by © Toni Hiltunen & Markus Laakso

THE GHOULSTARS, the Finnish horror punk supergroup behind this year’s debut album The Dark Overlords of the Universe, have been confirmed as the opening act for TURMION KÄTILÖT’s Resodance Tour 2026. The band will play six dates across Finland between December 3 and December 19, 2026, hitting Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Seinäjoki, Oulu and Turku.

Before releasing a single track, The Ghoulstars had already built a reputation on the strength of their live shows, sharing stages with established acts and headlining gigs on the back of word of mouth alone. The Resodance dates mark their first extended run since the release of their debut, giving audiences a first look at how the album’s mix of metal riffing, punk rock choruses and B-movie theatrics translates to the stage.

The Ghoulstars x Turmion Kätilöt — Resodance Tour 2026-2027:
3 December: Jyväskylä, FI @ Lutakko
4 December: Jyväskylä, FI @ Lutakko
5 December: Joensuu, FI @ Kerubi
11 December: Seinäjoki, FI @ Rytmikorjaamo
12 December: Oulu, FI @ Tarkastamo
19 December: Turku, FI @ Teatro

The tour follows the May 15th release of The Dark Overlords of the Universe via Season of Mist, mixed and mastered by V. Santura of Triptykon. Opening for Turmion Kätilöt puts The Ghoulstars in front of one of Finland’s biggest cult live draws, a natural pairing for a band built on theatrical, genre-blurring performance.

The Dark Overlords of the Universe remains available now across digital download, CD digipak and 12″ vinyl gatefold, including a coloured yellow, red and white marbled pressing. With the Resodance dates approaching, there’s no better window to catch up on the album before hearing it live.

Order & stream: https://orcd.co/theghoulstarsdarkoverlords

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)
Full runtime: 33:37

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 applauds. “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 before relishing the song’s death metal finish. 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”, Daddy Ghoul 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.

Lineup:
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 (…and Oceans, Finntrol) — Backing Growls
Tommi “Tuple” Salmela (Tarot, Raskasta Joulua, Lazy Bones) — Backing Vocals on “The Dark Overlords of the Universe”)

Production Credits:
Produced by Markus Laakso.
Guitars recorded by Markus Laakso and Erkka Närhi.
Vocals recorded by Markus Laakso and Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns.
Drums recorded by Erkka Närhi.
Bass recorded by Samu Männikkö and Markus Laakso.
Percussion recorded by Markus Laakso.
Mixed & Mastered by V. Santura at Woodshed Studio in Germany.

Cover Art:
Niko Anttila