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Overdressed

    
       
       
       
     
             
Tortuga are a heavy rock band from Germany formed in 2014, releasing four albums to date - 'Pirate's Bride' (2015), 'When The Shit Hits The Fan' (2018), 'The Flying Dutchman' (2021), and 'Overdressed'...    
             
...emerging in 2024 featuring eleven songs across a hugely fun and raucous forty minute run time! The band from Dillingen, Saarland, are on fucking fire - each and every song on offer full of a party vibe that's gonna have ya dancing, drinking and strutting your stuff like it's 1977 and your name's Tony Manero! Tortuga - emerging every three years with new music - are on a quest, a pirate quest, to deliver their own humorous, rousing take on piracy, the bands style of music akin to pirate metallers such as Alestorm, Pirates Of Metal, and Red Rum, albeit at the rockier end of the spectrum. The German five-piece open the album with the sub one minute anticipation fuelled circus sounding instrumental 'L.M.D.A.R.S.F.S.' (not a hundred percent sure what it stands for, but it could be "Lights, Music, Dance, All Rockers Start Fucking Singing!"), before launching headlong into the furiously catchy 'Captain Shakespeare'. Emanating a huge party vibe, 'Captain Shakespeare' is infectious to the max, including an amazing musical rendition (or two) of the iconic music hall dance craze "the can can" that began way back in 1840, and is still a staple of French cabaret to this day! Fucking stunning - and a breath taking start to the album!    
             
I tell ya readers, I know Tortuga have a reputation for hilarity and joviality within their music, but I certainly wasn't expecting that - 'Overdressed' marching on with the exotically, yet accurately titled 'Wiping Your Butt With A Hook Ain't That Easy'. The band are considered a heavy rock band, but in my opinion they're more metal than rock, proudly straddling the borders of hard rock, heavy rock and heavy metal! 'Wiping Your Butt With A Hook Ain't That Easy' is infectious and highly melodious metal that'll have you involuntarily nodding your head and tapping your feet - the essence of traditional eighties metal rising high in the air! And without a pause for a breather, Tortuga power on with the "foot on the monitor" gallop of 'Powdermonkey', the German five-piece keeping the old school vibe well and truly alive - albeit with a more modern day attitude! As I mentioned earlier, the jovial nature of the band is immense, pouring outta 'Overdressed' like lava from an erupting volcano - 'Knock Knock' lurching forth with a "knock knock" chant. A chant that's surely gonna be screamed by every listener, fan, follower and concert goer, the band keeping their audience fully hooked on everything they do! Incredible stuff from a German band taking a different path to the country's usual thrash, and power metal fare.    
             
Since the album began, Tortuga have been feisty and frivolous, striding on with the punchy 'Disinfection Is My Satisfaction', the air remaining thick with the essence of the eighties metal and rock sound. And for someone like me who grew up as a teenager during the eighties, I know exactly what the eighties sound, sounds like! And it's here, along with everything great about modern day rock and metal, Tortuga delivering a newer, fresher take on a forty year old sound! Don't get me wrong, the band aren't a retro band in any way shape or form, pressing the pedal firmly to the metal for the fastest song heard so far! 'Kiss Of The Gauntlet' oozes oomph in abundance, powering down the autobahn at full throttle, banging the head of every metalhead everywhere! The mosh pits too, are gonna come alive to this one - kudos Tortuga, kudos! The album has just gotten better and better since it began, 'Overdressed' remaining in head banging mood as 'This Is My Orange Table' roars into life with a mighty melodic heavy metal feel! Once again echoing the iconic metal gallop, the band are pleasing the ears of every metaller in the world, and with three songs still to come, the chances of an eargasm is getting ever greater!    
             
What a climax to the album that'd be - 'Stinky Dave' maintaining the incredible pace and power of the last couple of songs, marching on with an infectious level that's just shot through the fucking roof! Tortuga's live shows must be riotous, the raucous nature sky fucking high, with every concert goer enjoying themselves to the max - and why wouldn't they? For every song heard so far has been immensely catchy and sing a long-able, 'The Ferguson' keeping the sensationally stunning atmosphere at an almost unbearable level! I say almost, for the diehards among us are fucking loving this - the enjoyment and pleasure on offer at an all time high! And if you haven't heard the band before, you're in for one helluva treat, 'cause 'Overdressed' is nowhere near the "too elaborate or ostentatious" overdressed definition! 'Overdressed' is entertaining, jovial, and here it comes: an eargasmic listen - yes readers, the ultimate pleasure has arrived after forty fun filled minutes! Now sadly, the album comes to an end, but just before you press the reply button, there's one more song left to enjoy, 'Ready To Know' the nearest the album gets to the bands heavy rock roots! 'Overdressed' began in sensational style and never looked back - a great start and a great finish with everything in-between fucking great too!    
             
Overall, a fun filled forty minutes of hard rock and heavy metal with an immense infectious level and tonnes of head bang ability.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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