Cold is an American rock band formed in 1986 in Neptune Beach, Florida. Fronted by vocalist and songwriter Scooter Ward, the group became associated with the emotionally intense post-grunge and alternative-metal sound that developed in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Cold's music combines heavy, down-tuned guitar work with spacious arrangements, electronic textures and lyrics focused on alienation, addiction, damaged relationships and psychological distress.
The band began under the name Grundig, with Ward, drummer Sam McCandless, bassist Jeremy Marshall and guitarist Matt Loughran. After early lineup changes and a short-lived period under the name Diablo, the group re-formed as Cold in 1996. Their initial work attracted the attention of Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, who helped connect Ward with producer Ross Robinson. Robinson produced the band's self-titled debut, released in 1998 through Flip and A&M Records. Although the album established Cold's bleak and aggressive identity, its promotion was badly affected by the collapse of A&M Records following the Universal-PolyGram merger, limiting its commercial impact.
Cold reached a wider audience with 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage in 2000. The album presented a more focused blend of metallic riffs, melodic choruses and darkly confessional writing. Songs such as "Just Got Wicked," "No One" and "End of the World" helped the band build a substantial following, while the album eventually earned gold certification in the United States. Cold's growing visibility was also supported by a series of stark, performance-driven music videos that emphasized the band's somber visual identity.
The group's commercial high point came with Year of the Spider in 2003. It became Cold's highest-charting album, reaching number three on the Billboard 200, and produced the band's best-known mainstream single, "Stupid Girl." The album continued the band's movement away from straightforward nu metal toward a broader alternative-rock sound, balancing polished production with Ward's rough-edged vocals and emotionally direct performances. The video for "Stupid Girl" further increased the band's exposure during the peak years of rock-oriented music television.
Cold's fourth album, A Different Kind of Pain, appeared in 2005 through Lava Records. Its slower tempos, more restrained arrangements and heavier emotional atmosphere marked a clear departure from the band's earlier radio-oriented material. While the album retained Cold's interest in bleak subject matter, it achieved less commercial success and arrived during a period of extensive lineup instability. In 2006, Cold announced that it was disbanding, and Ward subsequently concentrated on the side project The Killer and the Star.
The band reunited for touring in 2009, eventually returning to the studio with Superfiction in 2011. The album revived elements of Cold's established sound while introducing a more melodic and atmospheric approach. After another extended period away from recording, the group released The Things We Can't Stop in 2019. The album reaffirmed Cold's long-standing themes of vulnerability and emotional struggle while demonstrating the durability of Ward's songwriting.
Although Cold has experienced repeated personnel changes and periods of inactivity, Ward has remained its central creative figure. The band's catalog is defined by its combination of hard-rock weight, accessible melody and unusually open emotional writing, qualities that have sustained Cold's reputation among listeners of post-grunge, alternative metal and early-2000s rock.