Verdict Heavy Metal / Co. Longford

Biography by Niall Ward…

VERDICT were a young heavy metal band from Longford town who were active in the mid-1990’s. At a time when metal was much-maligned, the band endeavored to fly in the face of the prevailing fads. Influenced by the likes of IRON MAIDEN, THIN LIZZY and HELLOWEEN, they fused melodic twin lead guitars with some thrashier overtones alá MEGADETH, METALLICA and ANNIHILATOR when producing their one and only studio demo, “Season of Remorse”. The band broke up in late 1996 after a couple of lineup changes.

The cassette demo was recorded locally in L.G. Studios and sold approximately 100 copies, most on the launch night in the Annaly Hotel in Longford in the Summer of 1995.

Adrian Ryan and Niall Ward were the main songwriters and had previously played together in a secondary-school rock/metal band called KONSPIRACY. Rob McTiernan and Anthony Reilly also played in a rock band called MIDIAN. Mick Warnock, Rob McTiernan and Niall Ward played for years after in a rock covers band called AUDIOPILOT. And Adrian Ryan now plays with Mayo doom metal outfit ON PAIN OF DEATH.