Jewel’s ‘Revolution In Heaven’ is one of the most intriguing metal albums ever to come out of the Netherlands. It can be a bit messy at times and it is not the biggest exercise in consistency, but when Jewel is on the money, they make some of the best metal ever released. While Jewel was mainly known for the borderline silly humor of their live shows, their music was surprisingly sophisticated and unconventional. No release is a better example of this than ‘Revolution In Heaven’. And while it is a clear product of its time, it doesn’t sound the slightest bit dated these days.

Putting a genre tag on Jewel is surprisingly difficult. They are broadly within the heavy/speed metal realm, but they largely eschew the clichés of the subgenres. Rick Ambrose’s voice is significantly lower than is common in those styles, having a borderline soulful edge at times, and Henky Backer’s riff work is certainly the most quirky aspect of Jewel’s music. In the faster songs, like opener ‘Below The Belt’, they occasionally sound a bit like what Toxik was doing at the time, but nowhere near as thrashy. And no matter how unconventional Jewel gets, there are no songs without a great melodic hook.

As stated before, the only flaw of ‘Revolution In Heaven’ is that it is a bit inconsistent. Some of the weaker moments are placed right near the beginning of the album, which might put some people off. ‘Dirty Bitch’ is a bit meatheaded and the cover of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘These Boots…’ is entertaining, but at least a minute longer than it should have been. Starting with the incredible epic ‘Circle Of Despair’, however, the album picks up significantly. Together with the lengthy closer ‘The Vietnam Requiem’, ‘Circle Of Despair’ serves as evidence for Jewel’s mastery of dynamics and Ambrose’s at times surprisingly profound lyrical approach.

‘Blasting Glory’ is a slice of unadulterated classic heavy metal euphoria. There is nothing about that song I don’t love. Backer’s riffs are excellent, Ambrose’s simple but brutally effective vocal melodies give me goosebumps and the song just works from one climax to another. ‘Road To Katmandu’ is another highlight, with its strong vocal harmonies, fantastic chorus and unexpected neoclassical middle section. The propulsive ‘Warpaint’ is the closest Jewel got to thrash metal, while ‘Lonely Without You’ is a surprisingly earnest acoustic ballad adorned with a beautiful vocal arrangement. Variation is definitely the strong suit of ‘Revolution In Heaven’.

Unfortunately, ‘Revolution In Heaven’ never really got the recognition it deserved. The nineties happened – with a 1991 release date, the album was already a bit too late to reach its intended audience – and because it is self-released, promotion was difficult. Recent reissues make it easier to get acquainted to this fantastic, quirky heavy metal album. While there are familiar elements, I have yet to hear an album that sounds quite like this one and ultimately, that is its biggest strength. The suprisingly good mix and production also help to make ‘Revolution In Heaven’ sound as powerful today as it must have done upon release.

Recommended tracks: ‘Blasting Glory’, ‘Circle Of Despair’, ‘Road To Katmandu’, ‘The Vietnam Requiem’