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5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
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0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Malc Macmillan
Title
The NWOBHM Metal Encyclopedia
Type
Book
Company
Iron Pages
YOR
2001
Style
Traditional
4/21/2004 - Review by: Eric Compton
EVERYTHING there is to know about the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal Encyclopedia - Malc Macmillan 2001 Iron Pages

This seemingly mythical collection of all things New Wave was out of my reach for years. I have never seen the book listed for sale anywhere, nor have I been able to locate anyone in the world that owned a copy of it. Fellow MM staff member Josh (also known as the Chevy Astro-Van Speedracer) finally targeted and captured this holy grail of metal literature, generously letting me borrow his "bible" for a weekend browse. Brought to life by publisher Iron Pages, Malc Macmillan has manged to capture EVERYTHING there is to know about the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Folks, this huge metal reference tool is all you need to know about this wonderful genre of metal.

Macmillan has carefully constructed an 800 page monster, a resourceful history of New Wave, complete with introductions by former Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Dianno, and Tygers Of Pan Tang shouter Jess Cox. This book has a great little section on the beginnings of New Wave through the state of the genre, but the book really comes out and shines with its huge index of bands, filling up with over 500 bands, including everyone from genre leaders like Maiden and Saxon to small club acts like Samurai and Blade Runner.

Each band in this book gets its own section, complete with a lineup, biography, discography, demo and EP releases, and entertaining, detailed write-ups spanning the band's beginnings to the group's breakups, all neatly packaged around photos, album covers, and even cross references with other bands within the book. Hours upon hours could be spent looking back at this great place in metal history, and now with this tool, it makes pinpointing and tracking metal gems and classics that much easier.

Iron Pages has a slam-dunk here, creating the perfect companion piece and offering up the same sort of thing that made Martin Popoff's Heavy Metal Guide so useful and entertaining. This is the perfect read and should always be within arm's reach while sorting through your albums, tapes, discs, and well....burns. Now if I could just get my own copy!
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ALL REVIEWS FOR: MALC MACMILLAN
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
The NWOBHM Metal Encyclopedia
2001
Iron Pages
Eric Compton4/21/2004
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