PROVOKE are:
Chris, Keith, Nick, Brenden, Mark

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
www.provokehc.com | www.myspace.com

MEDIA:
High Res CD Cover Art | High Res Band Logo

REVIEWS:

World's Appreciated Kitsch [Greece]
PROVOKE - This Is Real
Provoke is one of the leading Australian hardcore bands nowadays. Pete from Pee Records sent me their new album that was released under his label a couple of months ago, and today I got the chance to listen to it thoroughly. Provoke come from Brisbane / Sunshine Coast of Australia and they were formed back in early 2004 and have already released an EP (recently re-released because it was out of print) and the split CD with Tempo 38 called "Brothers In Battle".
"This Is Real" includes 10 songs of pure, undiluted hardcore, that all the fans of bands like Agnostic Front, Madball and No Turning Back will definitely like. I had many months to listen to such a sincere old school hardcore band. Their sound is tough but the guys have nothing to do with fake tough guy / macho bands. They seem to love what they are doing, though. Go and dare to check 'em out if you wanna listen some pure, uncompromised hardcore music!

Die Shellsuit, Die! [UK]
PROVOKE - This Is Real
This Is Real is the product of four years of Provoke working their arses off to get recognised as a serious contender for the Australian hardcore crown. This Is Real showcases the honest, no bullshit side of the scene down under that Provoke perpetuate and puts a serious fire under the arses of fellow countrymen 50 Lions and Mindsnare. This is reminiscent of bands like Madball, Knuckledust and Agnostic Front; no hype, no bullshit and most definitely not soft in the slightest.
Track by track, the staying true to yourself, your friends and your family clichés are firmly in place and for once I really don’t mind. Provoke are a hardcore band that don’t need to rely on lulling into a faux American accent like so many of their Australian contemporaries. They possess a raw, unpolished edge that makes them twenty times harder hitting and when those breakdowns come crashing in, you will most definitely want to throw someone through a window headfirst. This record is most definitely real, and I’m most definitely moshing.
8/10
Review by: Ryan Clements

Tsunami Mag
PROVOKE - This Is Real
After a long period of inactivity, local hardcore lads Provoke have released their debut full-length, 'This Is Real'. Bearing a sound strikingly similar to a sped-up Against before they discovered thrash metal, Provoke deliver an album of bare-bones beatdowns. There's not a guitar lead in sight, just '90s metallic hardcore laden with chunky chords and half-time chug. And while a better mix would've helped matters, fans of tough hardcore should still find quite a bit to love here.
6/10
Review by: Rob S

Sunshine Coast Daily
PROVOKE - This Is Real
When Provoke settled on This is Real as the title for their debut album, they couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate title.
The Sunshine Coast/Brisbane boys have been doing their thing on the hardcore circuit for a while now, and while hardcore – as a genre – has become mixed and stretched and diluted, This is Real is, well, real.
The tracks are appropriately short – 20 minutes total for the disc – and stick to the NY hardcore vein tapped by the likes of Agnostic Front, Gorilla Biscuits and Murphy’s Law.
It’s fast and needs to be played loud.
Don’t come looking for endless breakdowns, this is real hardcore, played by a group of Queenslanders who are obviously passionate about what they do and preserving the true hardcore sound.
10/10
Review by: Nathan Woulfe

Punk Rock Review [USA]
PROVOKE - This Is Real
With a name like “Provoke” you get exactly what you would expect, deep from the gut scratchy Baritone bellowing, with an East Coast Hardcore influence. The 2nd song on this album, “I Check Myself”, lyrically is incredibly good; however it just doesn’t fit the musical style of the band and is just an overload of words for the primal sound that is exert. The 3rd track, “Step up Again” is horrible with its back vocals that sound like one of those cheesy radio metal bands. Somebody needs to hug the singer of this band. He has a lot of bitterness from all the backstabbing and shit talking that people have done to him, all of which seem to aim towards all the people that have hurt his feelings or questioned his beliefs. Provoke writes some punishing music that appropriately matched the nihilistic imagery of the lyrics, which speak of the frustrations and the pressures the struggle to survive it all. Fans of East Cost Hardcore will punch their grandfathers in the nuts to get this CD
Review by: Jonny Taint

AsIce E-zine [Netherlands]
PROVOKE - This Is Real
It’s not very often that I receive promo’s from Australia; the last Australian band that I was introduced to in this way was a shot in the rose, and to this day I’m playing the records by The Corps weekly. Provoke from Queensland however brings a completely different style of music: this is hardcore, and hardcore the way I got to know it at that.
In about 20 minutes, ten to-the-point songs burst out of my speakers. The groove, the pace, the vocals, everything about this 4-piece Australian band reminds me of Madball. Which is not bad, because Madball is one of my favorite hardcore bands, but a bit more of an own sound would have been welcome.
Having said that, this is catchy! After the first spin I find myself already singing along to songs like ‘You are defined’ . With closing track ‘Still believe’, the only slightly longer song on this album, I can’t help but drawing comparisons to Backfire’s ‘Still dedicated’. The production of this album is very decent and I love the cover artwork. The lyrics are lashing out at police, at backstabbers or simply hateful in general. It’s all nothing new, but it is nice to hear a band keeping it simple like this, and I’m sure I’ll be keeping an eye out for this band in the future.
To be very short: Provoke, groovy NYHC from Australia. Nice to get acquainted!
3.5/5

Subba-Cultcha.com [UK]
PROVOKE - This Is Real
Punk Rock in Australia can thank Pee Records for pretty much everything these days. The Adelaide punk label and fanzine are responsible for giving opportunities to bands like this who would possibly never get a chance elsewhere to make records and go on tour. They are true champions of the underdogs and must be congratulated for that. Latest chaps to get the Pee treatment are Provoke from Queensland. The four piece have been building up a legacy for the last 4 years which culminated in every copy of their ‘Provoked EP’ being sold. The album will likely experience the same complement from their growing fan base. Nothing on here will disappoint the followers and Provoke shall energetically continue the demand for this raw, hardcore, in your face style of theirs. It probably wouldn’t get it so easy over here, but over here isn’t where they are. And if punk rock had to trust someone to keep the flag flying down under then this would be the band they’d put the faith in.
Review by: Alan Baillie
2.5/5

Bombshellzine
PROVOKE - This Is Real
You never know what you are going to get these days when you open up something from what's described as 'hardcore', the term has been stretched beyond belief in recent times. This time though, you can shove 'This Is Real' in the dictionary right underneath the term. These Queenslander's have been around a little while, and it's taken some time to get to this album, but they got there, and the result is solid as a nut. The production suits the genre to perfection, the tracks are short and pack a punch, no beating around the bush here. If you like that famous in your face New York Hardcore sound, then start riding the nuts of these guys. This is a massive step up from their previous split EP release, they've nailed it, nice artwork, nice tunes, 20 minutes of solid hardcore ready for you to crank up loud and piss off your neighbours. Check them out pronto!
~~~ PICK OF THE LITTER ~~~~
5/5

Sic Zine [USA]
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
What we have here is one band from Australia, Provoke (Brisbane, Queensland to be exact) while Tempo38 is from Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Provoke, who have been around since 2005, plays a style of hardcore that leans heavily upon the NYHC sound, look for the sounds of Madball and Skarhead. I guess you could say they sound a bit Terror'ish, but man even I'm getting tired of saying that name. Their brothers from another mother, Tempo38, have been around since 2000 and these guys fall a bit more towards the punk side of hardcore.
Together, both bands combine for 10 songs, each shouldering 5 songs each. First I will start off with Provoke . As I just mentioned they play an Aussie take on NYHC complete with rough and gruff vocals. The length of their songs are right around where you want for this brand of hardcore (1:30-2:30). They do a good job of keeping the tempo fast and aggressive while managing to effectively to sneak some really well done mosh breaks in. Also the gang vocals that are provided by members of other Aussie hardcore acts (Walk Tall, Onslaught, etc.,) add to the atmosphere. If you like Terror, Madball, Skarhead and pretty much just groove oriented hardcore, you'll dig this.
Tempo38 are as mentioned, much more punk oriented and even incorporate some melody here and there, though I wouldn't quite call it melodic hardcore because it's roots lay a lot more in straight forward punk. The vocalist has a pretty versatile delivery, at times he uses a spoken/talked delivery but for the most part he uses a strained shout. Their songs are longer than Provoke's, usually clocking out around 3:30. They do a pretty good job of building up their songs although now and again the songs tend to drag a bit.
Provoke's recording sounds good, it has a nice full sound that maximizes the tones of each instrument. The guitar tone is mean, the bass tone has enough presence to make me happy, the drums sound good and the vocals, as well as the gang vocals all have superb placement. Tempo38's side isn't bad either. One of things that stood out to me about their recording was the wonderful tone on the drum kit, the tom toms sound killer. The guitar sounds good for this brand of punk. The bass tone is twangy and really sounds good in this mix.
Considering the theme of the layout is built around the ANZAC (Australian And New Zealand Army Corps) ideology, mostly the "spirit" aspect, it was quite ingenious not only to have an Aussie and New Zealand band pair up, but to have the layout tie perfectly into said theme. The warplanes on the front cover, the wartime monument on the back of the tray all help bring out this concept to the unbeknownst listener. The orange/black matte stock finish looks good and the simple but effective layout of the booklet, displaying the lyrics vertically over three pages with proper spacing makes reading the lyrics not such a chore.
Rating: 3/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Provoke-- Warcry Tempo38-- Septic Proof
Synopsis: Overall, both bands have something offer but I definitely prefer the NYHC influenced sounds of Provoke over their New Zealand brothers, Tempo38. If you would like to decide for yourself check out the band's at their MySpace's.

Interpretation Zine [Russia]
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
The split of two hardcore bands Provoke and Tempo 38 is a joint release of Pee Records and Hit Your Head Music from New Zealand. Each band presents 5 songs. Australian bands Provoke was formed at the beginning of 2005 and they started to play NY hardcore in the vein of Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags and Sick of It All from the beginning of Provoke’s existence. But Provoke plays a little faster. Guys has everything what resides for NY hardcore – angry vocal, hard guitars and bass, sparse sing-alongs (unlike youth crew), lyrics about hardcore and people need to think about life, not about death.
Tempo 38 from New Zealand started to play from 2000. Split with Provoke is the fourth record of the band; heretofore they had recorded 2 EPs (“Our World Today” in 2001 and “Break With Reality” in 2002) and 1 single “Con” in 2004. From the beginning of band’s existence guys start to play the mix of punk, hardcore and hard rock. This mixture became the original sound of Tempo 38. Truly, I couldn’t find any bands with familiar sound, though music of Tempo 38 is not so original. I expected that Tempo 38 plays melodic hardcore, but it is punk. It is not pre punk, but it is more punk than hardcore. Fast and screaming verses gives place to more slowly choruses. All songs are magnetic, instruments sound great. Awesome band.

Give Blood Zine #2
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
This release rules. 'Brothers in Battle' is a 10 track Aus/NZ split put together by Adelaide's Pee Records and New Zealand's Hit Your Head Music to showcase the music of Brisbane's Provoke and Hawkes Bay's Tempo 38. Provoke kick it off with 5 songs of heavy, NY style hardcore while Tempo 38 come up the rear with 5 songs of their gritty punk/hardcore.
I've been a fan of Provoke for some time now, so I was really glad to finally get to hear their new material. They've made a few subtle changes to their sound but overall, it's still the same sound you'd expect from these guys. It's still distinctly NY based and they still remind me of Madball and Sick of it All but the production is meatier now, the songs are shorter and they've added a lot more groovy mosh sections to the songs. They've also studioed the songs up a bit by getting their friends Greg (from Against), Mackey (from Onslaught) and Lee (from Walk Tall) to add their own vocal stylings to a few of the tracks. Provoke aren't doing anything new with their style but they play it well and they play it with integrity so I have no problems at all, these guys rule. They're probably one of our countries most underrated hardcore bands so do yourself a favour and check them out.
I didn't really know what to expect from Tempo 38, I'd never heard them before this release and their songs kind of caught me off guard a bit. Their first song starts with an intro/singalong part with a riff that sounds like the kind of moshy riff you'd expect from a melodic hardcore band. The rest of the song alternates between fast screamed verses and a slowed down punk type chorus. Then the second track is completely punk. So I was expecting a melodic hardcore band and then it turns out these guys sound more like a punk band. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, these songs are catchy, the riffs are good, the production suits this kind of music fine and it's nice to see they have a bit of variety going on. Any fans of punk meets melodic type hardcore should get into this. Good band.
Go pick up this release. Support Pee Records, support Provoke and support people trying to bring Australian and New Zealand punk and hardcore together…

Death Before Dishonour #5
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
The latest offering from Brisbane's Provoke proves to be a solid release in every aspect, while successfully bringing New Zealand's talented Tempo 38 into the spotlight of the Australian hardcore scene with five solid tracks from each band.
Provoke certainly don't disappoint by using their usual formula and sound in the latest songs. Each Provoke song is mostly fast, aggressive four chord fare or a chugging sing along. They are similar to bands such as Against or Terror, yet combine elements of bands like Death Before Dishonour and Folsom to blend catchy two step hooks with fast, heavy hardcore. 'Respect' stands out from the other songs on the album, and serves as a blatant hardcore anthem, directly referring to what hardcore means to the most devoted. What the lyrics of some Provoke songs lack in originality and perhaps detailed sincerity, make up for in bold claims with lines such as "...it's our life, our purpose, we'll be here 'till the very end". The lyrics of the rest of the album remain largely similar to previous releases by the band, covering themes such as betrayal and pride, yet the lyrics are decidedly less inspired than the band's EP.
The term 'genre-bending' is thrown around a lot, yet it describes Tempo 38 perfectly. They mix a more typical fast hardcore sound with some melodic choruses; highlighting the band's obvious punk influences and even a few rhymes are dropped at the begging of their first track. Although they are a talented band, Tempo 38 may not appeal to fans of Provoke (and vice versa) due to the frequent punk-influenced sound and structure in some songs. Tempo 38 are still mixed bag with some songs reminiscent of Thought Riot or Strike Anywhere and some with more old school hardcore influence. Still, every one of their songs are as solid as Provoke's.
The album is hard to recommend to anyone that is not a fan of both new and old school hardcore, and punk. Still, any open minded fans of either Provoke or Tempo 38 should not miss out on this unique combination of two great bands.
4 / 5
Matt Johnstone

PEE #39
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
Thanks to the mighty Pee Records and New Zealand’s Hit Your Head Music, we have a patriotic ANZAC split featuring Brisbane’s hardcore heavies Provoke and melodic hardcore Kiwis Tempo38. Titled ‘Brothers In Battle’ and with artwork containing warplanes in flight and a statue of a fallen soldier, the wartime ANZAC reference is quite obvious. With 10 tracks in total, Provoke kick things off delivering five in your face, straight up, no bullshit hardcore tunes; some of the best Aussie hardcore I have heard since fellow Brisbane outfit Against. Beginning with the assertive and intimidating ‘You Are Defined’ you are immediately drawn to the fact that this band are all about hardcore and not much else… the way it should be. Easily comparable to hardcore pioneers Sick Of It All, Madball and bands of today such as Terror, Provoke rip out awesome hardcore riffs complete with addictive rhythms and plenty of pace. Track 5 ‘Warcry’ is in its own right a hardcore classic… featuring guest vocals from Greg Against, it is an anthemic and blistering paced hardcore track, one of the best you’ll ever hear and a superb sign off before the first Tempo38 track begins. Where Provoke assert the straight up intimidating aspects of heavy in your face hardcore, Tempo38 shed a lighter style with more melody and punk, at times reminiscent of the great band Rise Against. Track 6 ‘The Rate Goes 38 / Take No Sides’ reveals the above description as does the highly contagious ‘Septic Proof’… strengthening the Rise Against comparison, both musically and vocally. The remaining three tracks are more of the same, and really what more could you ask for? The first 5 tracks on par with the greatest of hardcore bands and the latter not unlike one of today’s best hardcore punk outfits. A must for not only all patriotic hardcore punk fans but a lesson in hardcore ANZAC unity for all those international.
RATING: 98
John MEANtime

PEE #39
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
Australia, New Zealand hardcore. Fucking awesome I think its the first time I have heard a band from NZ. These guys are fucking hardcore man. Bring these guys back to ‘91 and go on a US tour with Suicidal Tendencies and its over. These guys should of been on one of the Tony Hawk games. US fans will welcome these two bands with open arms once it gets distribution in North America, maybe it already does. Get your ass online and check it out. Tough shit, not for the weak!
RATING: 81
Othmer

The Dwarf
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
Australian hardcore band Provoke are angry. Really angry. And on this split release with New Zealand's Tempo38, they are going to yell about being angry in five very short songs. Tempo38 are pretty angry too, but they take a little more time with each song to let you know about it.
Before I go any further with this review, I'll just come right out and say that when it comes to modern punk and hardcore music, it's a genre that I haven't given a lot of time to, partly because I've been busying myself being an indie rock wanker, and partly because I can only take so much testosterone fulled aggression before I get a little twitchy and need to lie down. But as far as this fairly untrained ear can tell, there is nothing overly special on this release. Having said that, there is nothing particularly offensive on this release either.
Provoke are obviously really good at what they do, but what they are doing is very stock standard hardcore. Apparently fans of bands like Murphy's Law, Sick of it All and Madball should get into this. I'm trying really hard to get into their stuff but it's just not for me. If you like your hardcore served straight up over ice instead of mixed into a wussy cocktail then I dare say you'll appreciate this Brisbane band half of the Brothers in Battle split.
Tempo38, on the other hand, are a little bit more accessible to my ears. It's a little slower and calmer in parts, the raps are pretty good, the songs are pretty damn catchy. The purist hardcore kids may not get into it, I don't know. Listening to songs like 'Take No Sides' and 'Bitter Truth', you can tell this is a band who would be awesome live, and that once you had been to an awesome live show, listening to the recorded material would be even better than it already is.
If hardcore is your thing, then give this release a go, you'll probably get into it, because whilst it's not reinventing the genre or going to go down in history as the best hardcore release ever, it's pretty darn good. And with the never ending stream of splits that get released from punk/hardcore bands who are relatively unknown to the world but are the heroes of their hometown, it's good to listen to one that IS good and that can't really be faulted.

BLUNT Issue #58
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
Brisbane's Provoke and NZ warriors Tempo 38 go head to head here on what is a decent split with 5 tracks from each band. Provoke have recorded more of the same straight-up hardcore, and while it's a bit of a step up from their debut release, it can tend to drag at times. Having said that, it is what it is (ie. meat and potatoes hardcore with a NY influence). The lyrics are fairly generic, but overall it's a good effort. Tempo 38 produce refreshing melodic punk/hardcore - the vocals stand out from the word go as very dynamic and delivered with energy and passion. It's great to hear something so different from all the (w)hordes of photocopied wannabes. Tempo stand apart from the pack and they do it well. A split release well worth checking out.
7 / 10
DB

Thrill House Zine #5
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
This split includes 10 tracks from Brisbane's Provoke and New Zealand's Tempo 38. Provoke kick it off with five tough sounding hardcore tunes (the good kind, not the Hatebreed variety) with lyrics to match. This is real aggressive stuff with tracks like 'You Are Defined' typifying this. Probably the best straight up hardcore band Australia has to offer, great production. This will nor disappoint.
After Provoke's onslaught, Tempo 38 kick off the second half with a more punk-rock sound. A short intro and it's straight ito 'Take No Sides' which is my favourite track from the whole CD and other great punk rock numbers like 'Septic Proof'. Parry's vocals are very similar to that of Rise Against's Tim Mc Illrath which I like a lot. I'd never heard of these guys but they are apparently big in NZ, good to see bands like this coming from there.
All up a great split. Can't wait for the launch tour.
Tom

somethingFM
PROVOKE / TEMPO 38 - Brothers In Battle Split CD
A band from Australia. A Band from New Zealand. A War Motif. A title like "Brothers In Battle". What more could you want from a hardcore punk split compilation?
To elaborate on the intro there, what has happened here is the Pee Records band Provoke, and the Hit Your Head Music band Tempo38, have each taken 5 songs, and put them together on this split compilation. Seeing as it’s the bringing together of an Aussie band and a NZ band, they've given it a bit of a war motif (Anzac’s people, keep up!). There are war planes on the cover, and a statue of a soldier on the back. I suppose the best way to go here is to assess the songs from each band individually, seeing as they are two different bands, and to give them the same analysis would be unfair. And with that in mind, I set forth into the battle.... (Hey if they get to say it, so do I)
Firstly, Provoke . They have some truly violent lyrics. For example, from the song Heartfelt Disgust: "I believed all your stupid lies/wake up in the morning with a mouthful of broken teeth and two black eyes". Also, any band that opens a song and in fact this CD) with a sample from Team America: World Police ("Why is everybody so fuckin stupid?" - Kim Jong Il) gets a solid positive vote from me (and I imagine, a lot of other people).
Now, Provoke are a band who seem to love a good gang vocal. As they appear many times over the bands five songs. They work well too. Provoke's sound, is well, hardcore. I mean that in the modern sense of the word. While pretty much anything can and will get labeled hardcore nowadays, Provoke sound like the way that the word hardcore should conjure up. They are just pure aggression, without sounding like they are trying to be that way. It’s a natural aggression, which is so great when you compare it to all the anger in music that feels so very manufactured. The instrumentation is all so very heavy and forceful that it feels almost like a platform for the powerful vocal delivery.
Also, Provoke's love of the samples really stood out to me. Good work fellas. My favourite song on here from Provoke would have to be "You Are Defined", and not just because of the Kim Jong Il line. It’s more because, from what I can hear on these five songs, it really sums up the Provoke sound perfectly. Songs about anger and well, revenge. Good stuff for fans of bands like Agnostic Front and the like.
Now then, Tempo38. After hearing Provoke, and being thoroughly impressed, it's gonna take a bit to impress me here. Sadly, I don't think as highly of Tempo38 as I do of Provoke. They seem to often degrade into what I would sadly call (Hardcore) Punk by Numbers.
For a start, they have a lot of those lighter moments in their songs, that sound so terrible. I mean, people listen to this style of music to just go nuts. They listen to it for a total ear assault for the duration of your songs. When you start throwing in these moments in the songs, like the end of From The Flames, where all the instruments slow down, and the vocals lighten up, and have an almost sad, sorrowful tone to them, it feels a bit....weak. And that ain't what people are gonna listen to hardcore music for.
I know it sounds like I'm really giving Tempo 38 a hard time, and I guess I shouldn't, because on the whole, they are a decent band. The only problem, they have their moments that sound a bit weak, like when they get a little soft. We all know soft can work, and work beautifully; it just isn't as good in these songs as maybe it should be. Still, when these guys get going (like in the song "Bitter Truth"), with the big guitar sound and all, its sounds so great. So if they keep to their strengths, Tempo38 are a great band. Some parts on these songs do sound a little generic however.
OK, so Provoke and Tempo38. Both great bands in their own right, with a set of 5 great hardcore songs each. The reality of this compilation is, however, you're gonna be a fan of this kind of music already to really get into it. This is one for people who love their hardcore music. I guess the message here is one for fans of the genre.
RATING: 75 / 100
Review By Ringo