Tom "TW" Wurst

Tom "TW" Wurst has been wielding a guitar for 30 years, his journey ignited by his father's love of Johnny Cash and Elvis before bands like Boston, Black Sabbath, and early Van Halen pulled him deeper into rock. But it was UFO's legendary live album Strangers in the Night that sealed his fate as a guitarist.

TW draws from a diverse well of influences. Cris Oliva's melodic intensity, Michael Schenker's emotive phrasing, and Alex Skolnick's technical precision all shaped a style that blends classic metal and thrash with the punch of groove metal. His roots on bass left their mark too, with Geddy Lee, Geezer Butler, and Steve Harris shaping his sense of rhythm and song structure. Today, he serves as the band's primary songwriter.

Before founding Storms Within in 2014 alongside Erica and Ron, TW cut his teeth in Scarwork, Deny The Sun, iScream, Thirty3 Cell, and A Bed of Razors. He currently runs Solar and Ibanez guitars through a Kemper Profiler PowerRack and an EVH 5150 Stealth into Mesa Boogie cabinets.

When he's not writing riffs or onstage, TW stays active with sports and martial arts. His surprising guilty pleasures? Michael Jackson and Elton John. And yes, he'll proudly admit he likes Nickelback. The concert that left the biggest impression was a Queensrÿche/Suicidal Tendencies double bill that exceeded every expectation.

For TW, Storms Within isn't just a band. It's family. "I think I have the best people and musicians for this band," he says. "No egos and we all get along great." If he could share a stage with anyone, it'd be the late Cris Oliva or Testament.