IT – The Stranger Inside the Self | Progressive Rock Central.com

The UK progressive rock band IT is releasing a 2026 re-recorded and remastered version of their debut album, titled “The Stranger Inside the Self,” on October 16^th, of 2026.

The album was originally released in 1994 as a cassette-only project written, recorded, and produced by founder Nick Jackson at the age 20.

The release will include a double CD digipak featuring both the 2026 version and the original 1994 cassette version, a 20-page booklet, and a digital high-resolution download.

To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of IT’s debut album, they completely re-recorded and modernized the music for this re-release.

The 2026 re-release features 10 tracks, maintaining 95% of the original lyrics, while updating the overall production of the record. Only one track, “The Last of November,” had its title changed to “Do You Remember?”

The band will debut the new album live on October 25, 2026 at the Camden Club on Chalk Farm Road, in London, UK.

The 2026 version of “The Stranger Inside the Self,” will include the following members and participants:

Nick Jackson – Who sings lead vocals, and plays guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion, and is the album writer and producer

Andy Rowberry – Who plays guitars, bass, and sings backing vocals. He was also the co-writer, and album producer

Mark Gatland – Plays bass and sings backing vocals

Tom Ashcroft – Plays drums and percussion

Backing singers include – Jessica Clemmons, Hetti Harper, Fiona Fey, Ryan Brunton, Mark Cunningham, Jane Jelinek, and Char Pottruff.

The debut album’s original 1994 album line-up included the following members:

Nick Jackson – Vocals, guitar, producing, and mixing (written and recorded as a solo project)

Desmond Lambert – Keyboards

Chris Stopa – Backing vocals

Jane Jelinek – Backing vocals

I missed this album back in 1994, so I am so happy to have the opportunity to listen to and review this masterpiece from the early 1990s.

“The Stranger Inside the Self,” is a great opening song full of magical progressive music. The song opens with an ominous keyboard and piano background, full of nighttime silence and crickets. Then, Hackett-like lead electric guitar, bass and the drums join in to build the soundscape. Nick Jackson has a great voice that reminds me a little of the kind of delivery that Charlie Bramald of Age of Distraction and Ghost of the Machine, made famous, only Nick delivers it a little less passionately.

“I Won’t Pray on Sunday,” is another good progressive rock song sung by Nick Jackson. The soundscape sets up an overarching melody and choruses support Nick’s delivery. The keyboards, always essential to progressive rock, set the tone well; as the electric guitar riffs billow like a soft wind over the soundscape.

“More (Sanitary Insanity),” is another good, solid progressive rock song. But it really picks up momentum when the chorus supporting begins charging the stage with, “We wash our fingers of life again. We wash our fingers until the end. We will not be satisfied until we reach the other side, more, more, more;” after a powerful lead electric guitar solo. That momentum in the end carries this song towards the top of the tracks on this album.

“Waiting For the World,” opens with shouts from the ‘town square,’ before Nick Jackson starts singing. A wonderful chorus of women support him with a refrain. The slow beat and pulse of the song is a chance to relax and enjoy the magic of the music. Nick Jackson’s guitar solos are almost as wonderful as his singing.

“Until The Children Come Home,” opens with excellent electric guitar solos and keyboards. This is one of the best lyrical songs on the album. Nick gets support from Jessica Clemmons, as the song marches on. The music fits well with the timeframe of 1990s progressive rock, sounding similar to works by legends, like Arena, Marillion, and Pallas.

The guitar opening that starts “Something to Say,” is wonderful. Nick Jackson sings one of the best songs on the album. This song sounds very Marillion-like and I love it for the memories it brought back of that era. A very deep song that calls for you to listen and appreciate it.

“Do You Remember,” opens with soft bells and then, and alarm clock. The bass and guitar fill the air as the choir joins in, “Can you hear the sound?” “Do you remember running for the train? That you didn’t catch again.” The keyboard melodies and sounds are especially memorable on this song. That harmonica solo is a unique and wonderful addition to the soundscape that lift the spirits of this track.

“To Have and to Hold,” is a very warm song about growing old and appreciating the best of life. Another of the best songs on the album, for sure. Wonderfully emotive.

“When We All Fall Down,” is about appreciating the world and all its people and relationships as the world changes and many people fear the end approaching every day. If we are to fall, IT wants us to know, “We fall together.” The keyboard music is out of this world. The fear of war is fresh in the lyrics, as it was for many bands during this era. Memories of the Cold War, were still only five years old. The fall of the Berlin Wall was still fresh, from November 9, 1989, and the world, and especially Europe, were changing rapidly.

“Round And Round,” is the final closer on the album and it is full of great lyrics. Nick sings with the support of Jessica Clemmons. A song about many of the changes that people were trying to process as Europe was changing and adapting to a changing world filled with the influences of new technologies. People trying to learn and understand the changes with technology taking a larger part of their lives, while the world and Europe made massive changes. Nick sings, “Round and round we go, I’ve got to reconcile with the life I know. Just like the Earth, Sun and the Moon.”

I remember hearing about IT, but never heard “The Stranger Inside the Self,” or the rest of their discography in its prime. There was so much music filling the air at the time, that it was hard for any one band to rise above the majestic music being produced in the UK and at the same time, the Grunge scene back here in the USA. It was a magical time, that maybe some new bands can create anew. But for now, this passage back to this glorious time is well worth the purchase, or at least a listen. This is a wonderful time capsule trip back to that time when we were all trying to adapt to all the many changes: economic, political, environmental, and technological; that were facing the Earth and its people. It was a time, not unlike now, where many people were fighting to turn back the clock, despite the round and round turning and advancement of time. While all of this turmoil was brewing, we were all trying to enjoy the short time we all have on this wonderful planet. The dichotomy of working through the balance was difficult for everyone, but it led to some of the best music of my generation. I would easily include IT’s debut, “The Stranger Inside the Self,” amongst that legendary list of bands and albums that made the 1990s music so memorable. Please go out and at least listen to this new version of this epic classic and appreciate this album that you, like I, may have missed.

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