KASABIAN Empire (2006 UK promotional-only official Columbia Records manufactured set of playing cards issued in strictly limited quantities with initial orders of the album release, featuring the ‘topless lady’ album artwork on thereverse of each card, with the complete set housed in a unique picture box!). Contains deck consisting of just the King of Clubs card repeated.

With the band wanting to move on from the previous album’s military tinged theme and explore different aesthetics, the artwork of Empire was inspired by vintage playing cards. According to Tom, they happened to see a deck of cards and it looked cool. The album and single covers are adapted from Paul-Émile Bécat’s Le Florentin, a set of erotic playing cards, and were designed by Andy Hayes. It just looked amazing, Serge explained. I loved the colours, the look in his eyes and the way he’s holding the girl. They’re strange things, playing cards. They have a mad history. The things that have been won and lost through cards is insane. The album sleeve also contains original art by Julie Verhoeven, depicting the four band members and select lyrics