The CD

The UK Fin De Siècle release comes with a 12 pages booklet featuring the album credits, many photos and the (pessimistic) lyrics of ‘Here Comes The Flood’. The back cover features the tracklisting, the bar code, copyright notes, ‘Made in U.K.’ and ‘Distributed by Vital’. We can read near the centre of the CD: D0241 SETCD 057 IFPI L123 Z^4WiV IFPI L123
Unlike the other formats, the CD credits miss the Katie Puckrik credit for the narration on ‘Generation Sex’.


It seems different prints of the album exist with different colours: some have a bluer inlay and a darker CD (see the bottom of the statue on the scan). However, we do not know if it has to do with the different releases of the album. Indeed, according to listings, the album was released/distributed twice: in 1998 of course, and then again in 2000. Both releases seem to have the same catalogue and serial number: 5 033281 610571.
Some releases also included the extra lyrics booklet which was printed for the digisleeve.

The digisleeve

The digisleeve was a limited edition when the album was issued in 1998. It does not feature any bonus track and is just a collector item. Outside, the artwork is the same as the standard release and the digisleeve is sealed by a black sticker. Inside, the sleeves feature a picture not featured in the usual album, both sleeves having the same picture which has been flip to look symmetric. One sleeve contains the CD album which is exactly the same as the first edition of the usual release. The other features two booklets: the usual booklet plus a 3-page extra leaflet. The extra leaflet is printed in white on black. The front cover shows the title; inside it features a text by Neil Hannon and (on the other side) lyrics for all songs; the back cover has the word ‘FIN’ printed on it. The leaflet does not feature any extra photo.

The LP

The FIN LP has some minor difference compare to the CD. The front cover uses the same photo and the same titles, but their relative sizes are different compare to the CD cover. You can see if you look at the position of the titles over the photo. The back cover is also similar to the CD back cover, and as it is bigger, it features the complete credits instead of just the tracklisting.


On the record’s labels, the A side features the same photo as on the CD, while the B side features the tracklistings for both sides.
Near the labels we can read on A side: SETLP 057 A-1-1- FORGIVE AND FORGET
and on B side: SETLP 057 B-1-1-

The MC

The MC is not a particular item. The front cover is the same as the CD cover but has been cut on left and on right. The side and the back are similar too but do not feature the back photo of course. The inlay is made of only four pages and features only half of the CD artwork. On one side there are (in addition to the front cover) two pages of credits and the photo of Neil Hannon in a memorial which has also been reduced to fit in one page. The other side features only the tracklist photo of the CD booklet but without the tracklist and additional credits (writers, publisher, and arranger) which have been added to the full credits.

The cassette itself looks very simple: on both side there is:

• the title (‘the divine comedy • fin de siècle’)
• the side number (‘SIDE A/B’)
• a Setanta logo
• the catalogue number, copyright notes and a ‘made in UK’.

The promo CD

This promo edition of Fin De Siècle is an interesting item, not so much as an object than for the tracks. Indeed the CD is black with the name of the label, the name of the band and the title of the album.

The disc features two songs in versions different from the album: ‘Generation Sex’ and ‘The Certainty Of Chance’. They were first recorded with samples in Italian from Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita. But the Fellini foundation asked The Divine Comedy not to use sample from the director’s films. The Divine Comedy had to go back to the studio to re-record samples for the songs.

Around the centre of the CD, we can read: D0241 SETCD 057 IFPI L123 Z^4WiV IFPI L123

According to the management [1] this promo version of the album was deleted well before being sent out and most existing copies had since been destroyed. Hopefully this is untrue and the promo can be found from second hand resellers.

The white label

A 12” white label of the album exists. It comes within a general black sleeve with a Setanta sticker on it. The printed record is the same as the regular LP, with the same engraved notes: on A-side: SETLP 057 A-1-1- FORGIVE AND FORGET and on B side: SETLP 057 B-1-1-

The shop display (12”x12” poster)

This poster was made for the release of the album and was displayed in records shops and others.

The postcard

The promo pictures

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[1] Muse Magazine, Issue 7, 1999