This album is released as a single CD and double LP, packaged in a full colour sleeve with all artwork by David Tibet, photos of the band and all the album’s lyrics included.
The CD has a domestic release and a North American release. The 2LP in its three versions is a UK release only.
The recording and mixes are the same on all the five, and the artwork and booklets identical except for one feature – Norbert Kox reads one of his profoundly apocalyptic and extraordinarily poems. But the poem differs between the UK CD, the North American CD and the three 2LP formats, and hence the text of his poem in the booklet is also different in each edition.
There are 3 LP formats –
1: Standard edition double LP
2: Double LP in pink transparent audiophile virgin vinyl.
The Pink vinyl comes in the standard gatefold full colour sleeve used for the black vinyl edition inserted into a PVC sleeve that is silkscreened in pink with a different image/text on each side. It also includes a folded A3 insert with all lyrics printed in pink ink on white paper (as opposed to black ink on white paper in the standard black vinyl 2 LP). Each copy is accompanied with a pink and white silkscreened print (300 x 300mm) on 300 gsm Fabiano art paper. Each print is signed and numbered by David.
The recording and mix of this edition of the pink vinyl is identical to that on the black vinyl 2LP. 193 copies were made.
3: Double LP with Chinese labels in pink transparent audiophile virgin vinyl.
This edition comes in a three panel silkscreened foldout poster cover in 300 gsm card, with different artwork by David Tibet on both sides of the poster, a different Norbert Kox poem to all other editions and different record label, with Chinese text for “The Spheres” and Chinese numerals on each side. It includes a folded A3 insert with all lyrics printed in red ink on white paper. Inserted into a PVC sleeve silkscreened in red with a different image/text on each side; one side of the screenprinted PVC sleeve differs to that on the other pink 2 LP 313 copies were made.
