Terry Balsamo

Terry Balsamo's guitar playing carries the weight of two distinct eras in alternative rock. He first gained attention as a founding member of Cold, a Florida band whose brooding, heavy sound on albums like '13 Ways to Bleed on Stage' carved a niche in the late 1990s and early 2000s post-grunge landscape. His career pivoted dramatically when he was asked to replace departing guitarist Ben Moody in Evanescence just as the band was exploding worldwide. Balsamo's style, both muscular and textured, fit seamlessly into their gothic-tinged rock, and he became a key co-writer on their second album, 'The Open Door,' contributing to hits like 'Call Me When You're Sober.' His tenure in the band placed him at the center of a pop-cultural phenomenon, though health challenges later affected his touring schedule. Balsamo's path illustrates the life of a working musician who found himself in the right place at the right time, with the chops to deliver.