The Liverpool multi-instrumentalist’s autobiographical record returns with a new edition celebrating a deeply personal journey through adversity, recovery and renewal.
Liverpool has always been a city where personal stories find their way into the music. From its biggest stages to its most intimate independent spaces, the city’s artists have a long tradition of turning lived experience into something that connects far beyond their own circumstances. For Paul Iwan, that process has been at the heart of RESISTER — an album built from survival, reflection and the determination to move forward.
Originally released in 2019, Iwan’s acclaimed second album will finally receive the vinyl release it was always intended for, arriving on 30 July 2026. Written and produced by the Liverpool multi-instrumentalist, RESISTER is a raw and uncompromising record that documents a journey through trauma, recovery and personal transformation.
The album’s nine tracks explore one of the most difficult chapters of Iwan’s life, following a violent attack which resulted in a brain haemorrhage and the loss of his right eye. The years that followed brought extensive surgery, insomnia and struggles with substance abuse, experiences that became the foundation for a record that refuses to shy away from darkness while ultimately embracing resilience.
Tracks such as Parasite, Run and Neon capture the emotional intensity of that journey, combining alternative rock, electronic textures and powerful melodic songwriting. Iwan’s distinctive voice sits at the centre of the album — sometimes vulnerable, sometimes defiant — while the dynamic drumming of long-time collaborator Steven Burkert provides much of the record’s driving force.
On its original release, RESISTER received widespread praise from independent music platforms, with Louder Than War describing the album as a “classic”. Its return on vinyl offers listeners the chance to experience the record in the format it was carefully created around, with songs arranged to flow together as a complete, immersive journey rather than simply a collection of separate tracks.
The new edition has been mastered by Pete Maher, known for his work with artists including U2 and Depeche Mode, while the album’s production and engineering capture the meeting point between industrial intensity and melodic alternative rock. Recorded across Studio 45 and the SPACE Project in Merseyside and mixed by Andy Fernihough, the record remains firmly connected to the creative landscape that shaped it.
For Iwan, bringing this album back into the world represents a celebration of survival as much as a reissue. “RESISTER is my story,” he says. “Talking about this has helped me move forward, and bringing this deeply personal piece of work back on vinyl feels like the ultimate celebration of that survival.”
Seven years on from its first release, RESISTER remains a powerful reminder of music’s ability to process pain, preserve memories and turn personal battles into something shared. Its vinyl arrival gives a new generation of listeners the opportunity to discover one of Liverpool’s most honest and compelling independent records.
RESISTER is available from 30.07.26 via the official elasticStage Pre-order Page. Physical copies and merchandise can also be ordered directly from the Paul Iwan store. For streaming options and video content, visit Paul Iwan Videos.
