ABOUT THE BAND
Abandoned Malls of America is a midwestern rock band that combines the feel and emotion of classic Midwest Emo with a modern punk energy and grit.
Guitar driven, melodic, and with a cynical edge that most any disillusioned millennial can relate to, this band exists to fill an artistic void. People of this generation openly opine for the emotional and impactful music they grew up with, but mainly through winking nostalgia and meme culture. What if there were bands that picked up the original thread of emo music and carried the torch (in earnest) into corporate life, mortgages, and physical degredation?
Abandoned Malls of America intends to connect with this audience of those wallowing in the same 5 albums from the early aughts. They know those albums will most likely never be usurped, but the chance to find a place along side these classics is all the band can ask for.
BACKGROUND
Abandoned Malls of America is a band with roots deep in the Cincinnati music scene. From the times when Post Hardcore, Metalcore, and Pop Punk were king and the Mad Hatter was the place to see the best live shows both local and national, the members of AMOA have been writing, collaborating, and playing gigs across the city and beyond in countless different projects.
As the members grew older and most of their contemporaries either quit or faded away from the music scene, the members of Abandoned Malls maintained the incessant drive to create, perform, and find their niche in this crowded age of artists clamoring for attention and an emphasis on content at any cost.
Across a multitude of projects like I Am the Messenger, Sleep Star Ignition, Spectrvms, Eyes to the Throne, and more, these four experienced music veterans believe this current intersection of their combined talents is the peak of their artistic careers. Call it persistence. Call it stubbornness. Call it stupidity. But they prefer to call it passion (…and stupidity).
INFLUENCES
AMOA takes cues from the past, utilizing melancholic chord progressions reminiscent of emo greats American Football, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Boilermaker, along with plenty of energy and the fresh perspectives of artists like Pup, Joyce Manor, and Jeff Rosenstock.
The Melodic Punk and Emo genres have always been sister genres, so for Abandoned Malls, it was a no brainer to take the strengths of both styles and combine them into something familiar, yet completely fresh and futureproof.
RELEASES
Abandoned Malls of America is currently recording their first EP “Brushed Gold” produced and engineered by Eric Tuffendsam at Moonlight Studios right here in Cincinnati. Their first single “Spring Grove” was released 7.14.23 and met with an overwhelmingly positive reception online.
The band plans to release the second single “Fancy Words for Failure” in the coming weeks as the final teaser single to lead up to the full release of the full 5-song EP.
MISSION STATEMENT
Abandoned Malls of America plans reignite the enthusiasm for this fondly remembered genre of music through performing and spreading the word through streams, visually on Youtube, and eventually through Vinyl and beyond. They know why you’re meme-ing about emo. Here’s your chance to feel something again.
MEMBERS
Bob Tallman – Vocals/Guitar
Chris Shafer – Guitar
Zach Madden – Bass/Vocals
Zack Preston - Drums
