Provoke, Destroy's Tyler is Not the Vulture You May Think

Metal outfit Provoke, Destroy have released an EP, singles, and a debut album, has been in the works including their signing to Indianola Records. Drummer Tyler Melton discussed the debut album and plans for much more.


1. Lets start off by giving our readers a little History 101 on how Provoke, Destroy came to be.

Tyler: We first came to know each other from a site called "Craigslist" where you post things for sale, or odd jobs you need done. Mike, our bassist, had put up an ad looking for people to form a band. I responded and the rest is history.

2. Why did you want to Provoke, Destroy?

Tyler: We actually don't have an extensive meaning behind our band name like a lot of bands do. We were sort of in a time crunch because we had to change our name after the Rise Records band "Palisades" came out with their band and instantly blew up. We didn't want to change our name, but we had to, so we turned to some of our favorite lyrics for inspiration. Can you guess what band we were inspired by?

3. Which bands would you say influence you guys the most?

Tyler: There are 5 guys in this band, so we bring inspiration from several different bands. I'd say some of our top inspirations would be Our Last Night, The Word Alive, The Ghost Inside, The Devil Wears Prada, and even a little A Day To Remember.

4. Do you use a theme with your lyrics or does each song express a different aspect?

Tyler: For the most part our lyrics aren't related to each other, but in some aspects they are. All of our songs tend to be centered around the theme of getting through hard times, or shady and unfaithful friends, etc.

5. Vulture is your latest offering to the masses. What was the recording process like for you guys this time around?

Tyler: The recording process for Vulture was much smoother than we've had in the past. We went into this record very prepared and organized. We "pre-produced" everything on our own ahead of time, which was worlds of help for our producer and ourselves. It allowed us to pay much more attention to detail when recording vocals, leads, etc.

6. When it comes to writing an album is there a brain child in the group that over sees it or do you all work collectively? Whats the song process like for Provoke, Destroy?

Tyler: In a sense, yes, there are a few brain children on different parts of the recording process. Mike, our bassist, writes the complete songs on his laptop and sends them to the rest of the band for approval. Once we can all agree on the song direction and sound, we all make our own tweaks to everything. I rewrite the drums, Nate tweaks the guitars, and Ryan usually covers the bass. Vocals are usually a collaboration of us all, but mostly Bobby and Nate.

7. Who was the artist behind the artwork for Vulture?

Tyler: Chad at Sphere Studios did the artwork for Vulture. We have been working with him for a few things here and there and have always been pleased with his work. If you need artwork done, he is the dude to see.

8. Does the title or the album have a concept to go with it?

Tyler: "Vulture" means a few things to us. When people think "Vulture", they usually think of a bird flying high above a dead or wounded body, waiting for the right moment to tear it apart and do what they want with the remains. We kind of took that concept and applied it to our daily lives and experiences. All of our songs are open to interpretation and we encourage our listeners to find a separate meaning from each song.

9. Who did you end up working with when it came to producing this album?

Tyler: Andrew Baylis. We wouldn't have worked with anyone else. He did our previous release, "Rosewell" and our single, "Hourglass." He really makes the recording process smooth.

10. This album will be the first for Indianola Records, when did the signing happen for them and how does it feel to have the first release through them?

Tyler: The signing to Indianola happened early in 2014. We are extremely happy to be with them and put out our first release with them. It's an exciting new milestone for us to overcome. They are as excited as we are to drop the new album.

11. Tell me about the single for the song "Li(f)e Support".

Tyler: When choosing a single from "Vulture" to put out first, we wanted everyone to hear a well rounded, and straight forward sound that they could expect from the album as a whole. "Li(f)e Support" is one of our favorite songs from the new album, but it is not the best song on the album (in my opinion). We have really redefined our sound and I think people are going to enjoy it.

12. How do you all balance being in a metal band with the needs of normal life?

Tyler: We all go/have gone to college and balancing a "normal" life for us can be extremely hard. We put the band first, even though sometimes their are consequences for that. Sometimes we slip up on things, or don't give things the attention they need, but that is what it takes to be a musician. We give our all to music, and we can only dream that I pay off one day. We want to do this, Provoke, Destroy, for our entire lives and we will be happy with just that.

13. What does your upcoming tour plans look like?

Tyler: We've got a bunch of plans for our touring future. We will be heading up North on the Panic In The Mid Atlantic Tour with Pyro, Ohio. Then we will have a few exciting tour announcements coming soon.

14. What does the band have planned for the rest of 2014?

Tyler: We really want this release to be a success, so we plan on touring to support "Vulture" and write some new jams and hopefully pop into the studio for another release. Our plan is to make music.

15. Is that your final response?

Tyler: We hope that we can count on you guys (our fans) to pick up "Vulture" on July 22nd, come see us at our upcoming shows, and talk to us! We want to meet each and every one of you. Thanks for reading!