# Terry Balsamo
**Terry Balsamo** (Terry Philip Balsamo II, born 1972) is an American rock guitarist and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist of [Evanescence](https://www.edgepedia.org/evanescence) from 2003 to 2015 and previously a member of the alternative metal band Cold.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481) • [2](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/131704) He co-wrote most of Evanescence's second album, *The Open Door* (2006), with singer [Amy Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-lee), and played on the band's self-titled third album (2011).[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Terry Philip Balsamo II, born 1972 (some sources give 1973)[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481) • [3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) |
| Bands | Limp Bizkit (guitar, 1996); Shaft (1996–1999); Cold (1999–2004, 2009, 2016–2018); Evanescence (2003–2015)[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481) • [3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) |
| Joining Evanescence | Filled in for Ben Moody during the [Fallen](https://www.edgepedia.org/fallen-evanescence-album) tour after Moody left mid-tour in 2003; confirmed permanent member January 2004[4](https://blabbermouth.net/news/cold-guitarist-becomes-permanent-member-of-evanescence) |
| Signature albums | Cold's *13 Ways to Bleed on Stage* (2000) and *Year of the Spider* (2003); Evanescence's *The Open Door* (2006) and *Evanescence* (2011)[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) • [5](https://blabbermouth.net/news/evanescence-guitarists-talk-influences-technique-video) |
| 2005 stroke | A stroke from a torn neck artery in late 2005 paralyzed his left side; he retrained himself on guitar and used touring as physical therapy[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/06/another-door-opens-for-amy-lee/45970169-5d79-4fdc-8325-04b8582f661a/) • [7](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=03_NOV_2006_-_Ultimate-Guitar.com_interviews_Terry_Balsamo) |
| Songwriting | Shares credit on nine of the 13 songs on *The Open Door*[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/06/another-door-opens-for-amy-lee/45970169-5d79-4fdc-8325-04b8582f661a/) |
| Departure | Left Evanescence in 2015 and was replaced by the German guitarist Jen Majura[8](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=Terry_Balsamo%2Fit) |
## Early bands and Cold
Balsamo's first recorded project was the band Sakajaweeda, which released the demo *Sacred Sludge* in 1993.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481) He then briefly played in [Limp Bizkit](https://www.edgepedia.org/limp-bizkit) in mid-1996, during a period when [Wes Borland](https://www.edgepedia.org/wes-borland) temporarily quit the band.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481) A 2008 MusicRadar report described him as part of the early Bizkit line-up in 1995, before he took on guitar duties with Cold and Evanescence.[9](https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/limp-bizkit-reform-with-evanescence-guitarist-175086) The Evanescence Reference lists a stint with the band Shaft from 1996 to 1999.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo)
In late 1999 he joined the Jacksonville alternative metal band Cold, alongside Scooter Ward, Sam McCandless, Jeremy Marshall, and Kelly Hayes.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) He wrote and recorded with Cold on *[13 Ways to Bleed on Stage](https://www.edgepedia.org/13-ways-to-bleed-on-stage)* (2000) and *Year of the Spider* (2003).[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo)
## Evanescence, 2003–2015
Cold opened for Evanescence on the 2003 Nintendo Fusion Tour, and when [Ben Moody](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-moody) walked out of Evanescence midway through its European tour late that year, Balsamo filled in on stage.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) • [4](https://blabbermouth.net/news/cold-guitarist-becomes-permanent-member-of-evanescence) After several shows, Amy Lee said things "just clicked" and he was made a permanent member, confirmed in January 2004.[4](https://blabbermouth.net/news/cold-guitarist-becomes-permanent-member-of-evanescence) Lee described him as "an insane guitar player with awesome stage presence" and one of the best decisions the band had made.[4](https://blabbermouth.net/news/cold-guitarist-becomes-permanent-member-of-evanescence) His first recorded appearance with the band was on the CD/DVD live release *Anywhere but Home* (2004).[10](https://es.ifann.net/wiki/terry-balsamo)
**The Open Door.** Balsamo became Lee's main writing partner on Evanescence's second album, *The Open Door*, sharing credit on nine of its 13 songs.[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/06/another-door-opens-for-amy-lee/45970169-5d79-4fdc-8325-04b8582f661a/) Lee said that after Moody's departure she finally had a collaborator who lifted her up rather than held her back, calling Balsamo "an amazing instigator" who pushed her to try things she would otherwise have avoided.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) She contrasted the partnership with her work with Moody, which she described as a fight every time she wanted to try something creative; with Balsamo, "every little part, we would write bit by bit, and come up with something that we liked."[11](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-01-ca-evanescence1-story.html) The album's lead single, "Call Me When You're Sober," took shape only after the addition of what the band called a "badass riff" from Balsamo, writing with Lee for the first time.[12](https://www.loudersound.com/music/the-story-behind-evanescence-call-me-when-youre-sober) *The Open Door* opened with 447,000 units in October 2006 to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has shifted 2.1 million copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.[5](https://blabbermouth.net/news/evanescence-guitarists-talk-influences-technique-video)
**The 2005 stroke.** In late 2005, while *The Open Door* was being recorded, Balsamo suffered a stroke from a torn neck artery that left the left side of his body paralyzed.[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/06/another-door-opens-for-amy-lee/45970169-5d79-4fdc-8325-04b8582f661a/) The Evanescence Reference dates the event to November 2005, while the Washington Post places it in October 2005 as the album was being recorded.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) • [6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/06/another-door-opens-for-amy-lee/45970169-5d79-4fdc-8325-04b8582f661a/) He had to retrain himself on the guitar and said in a November 2006 interview that he was using the latest Evanescence tour as his physical therapy, putting himself at "a good 50 percent" on the way back.[7](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=03_NOV_2006_-_Ultimate-Guitar.com_interviews_Terry_Balsamo) Eleven months after the stroke he was rehearsing for the band's world tour.[11](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-01-ca-evanescence1-story.html) After the stroke he could no longer headbang on stage, and instead moved his dreadlocks to simulate the movement.[10](https://es.ifann.net/wiki/terry-balsamo)
**Later years.** Balsamo returned for Evanescence's third studio album, *Evanescence* (2011), recording both lead and rhythm guitar; the album sold 127,000 copies in its first week in the United States to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) • [5](https://blabbermouth.net/news/evanescence-guitarists-talk-influences-technique-video) For that record, Lee gathered Balsamo, fellow guitarist Troy McLawhorn, bassist Tim McCord, and drummer Will Hunt, and the quintet wrote together as a group for the first time in the band's history.[13](https://mmusicmag.com/m/2011/11/evanescence-2/) He left the band in 2015, and the band announced he would be replaced by [Jen Majura](https://www.edgepedia.org/jen-majura).[8](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=Terry_Balsamo%2Fit)
## Cold reunions and later work
Metal Archives lists Balsamo's Cold tenures as 1999–2004, a 2009 reunion, and 2016–2018.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481) He rejoined Cold briefly in 2009 for a reunion tour and again from 2016 to 2018, leaving on both occasions.[10](https://es.ifann.net/wiki/terry-balsamo) In 2008, when Wes Borland joined [Marilyn Manson](https://www.edgepedia.org/marilyn-manson), reports said Limp Bizkit had re-recruited Balsamo as a second-stint guitarist, though it was not clear whether the band recorded any new material with him.[9](https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/limp-bizkit-reform-with-evanescence-guitarist-175086)
## Playing style and gear
Balsamo plays Ibanez guitars. In the studio he used a setup similar to his last Cold record, mixing a Diezel and a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier on one side and a Bogner and a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier on the other, which he described as combining into "one big wall of metal"; on tour he used T.C. Electronics' G-System.[3](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo) Cold's drummer Rocky Gray described him as playing more of a metal style than Ben Moody, with parts that were easy to lock in with.[14](https://blabbermouth.net/news/evanescence-drummer-draws-inspiration-from-lars-ulrich-for-new-album)
His stated influences are [Dimebag Darrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/dimebag-darrell) above all; seeing Pantera live at about age 16 convinced him to pursue music. He also cites [Randy Rhoads](https://www.edgepedia.org/randy-rhoads), Eddie Van Halen, U2's The Edge, and Rush's Alex Lifeson.[7](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=03_NOV_2006_-_Ultimate-Guitar.com_interviews_Terry_Balsamo)
## References
1. [Terry Balsamo, Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Terry_Balsamo/1002481)
2. [Terry Balsamo — American guitarist, songwriter and alternative metal musician, Alegsa Online](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/131704)
3. [Terry Balsamo, The Evanescence Reference](https://www.evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=T._Balsamo)
4. [COLD Guitarist Becomes Permanent Member Of EVANESCENCE, Blabbermouth.net (January 16, 2004)](https://blabbermouth.net/news/cold-guitarist-becomes-permanent-member-of-evanescence)
5. [EVANESCENCE Guitarists Talk Influences, Technique (Video), Blabbermouth.net (November 17, 2011)](https://blabbermouth.net/news/evanescence-guitarists-talk-influences-technique-video)
6. [Another 'Door' Opens for Amy Lee, The Washington Post (October 6, 2006)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/06/another-door-opens-for-amy-lee/45970169-5d79-4fdc-8325-04b8582f661a/)
7. [03 NOV 2006 - Ultimate-Guitar.com interviews Terry Balsamo, The Evanescence Reference](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=03_NOV_2006_-_Ultimate-Guitar.com_interviews_Terry_Balsamo)
8. [Terry Balsamo/it, The Evanescence Reference](https://evanescencereference.info/wiki/index.php?title=Terry_Balsamo%2Fit)
9. [Limp Bizkit reform with Evanescence guitarist?, MusicRadar (September 25, 2008)](https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/limp-bizkit-reform-with-evanescence-guitarist-175086)
10. [Terry Balsamo, iFANN](https://es.ifann.net/wiki/terry-balsamo)
11. [Rock's a hard place -- ask Evanescence, Los Angeles Times (October 1, 2006)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-01-ca-evanescence1-story.html)
12. [The story behind Evanescence's Call Me When You're Sober, Louder](https://www.loudersound.com/music/the-story-behind-evanescence-call-me-when-youre-sober)
13. [EVANESCENCE, M Music & Musicians Magazine (2011)](https://mmusicmag.com/m/2011/11/evanescence-2/)
14. [EVANESCENCE Drummer Draws Inspiration From LARS ULRICH For New Album, Blabbermouth.net](https://blabbermouth.net/news/evanescence-drummer-draws-inspiration-from-lars-ulrich-for-new-album)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Rock, metal, and popular-band musicians › Hard rock and glam metal › Hard rock guitarists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license