The following message has been posted at IRON MAIDEN's official website:

Iron Maiden have been touring their critically acclaimed A Matter Of Life And Death album since early October when they opened in the USA where the album entered the Billboard charts at No 9. By the end of the tour – which climaxes with 2 shows at London's Earls Court Arena on Dec 22 and 23 – they will have played 44 concerts to half a million fans in 18 countries across North America, Japan and Europe

As a grand finale to the tour, EMI release what has to be the ultimate Maiden tour souvenir on the 26th December, and are to release the bands first ever limited Edition Digital single.

Says Steve Harris, 'We're having a fantastic time on this tour and the fans everywhere have been absolutely brilliant. The reaction to us playing the entire album from start to finish has been amazing. We’re releasing this single with live tracks specially recorded on the tour, and our own version of Focus’ ‘Hocus Pocus’ to celebrate all the fun we are having.”

This exclusive digital single - a live version of Different World recorded during the European tour - will be available for a limited period only and will be deleted upon official release. The digital single can be downloaded day of release, 26th December, in MP3 format that is compatible with PC, MP3 player, iPod and Mac. Fans who pre-order this exclusive digital single (and any of the single traditional formats digitally as listed below) between midnight on Sunday 3rd and Monday 25th December will get to hear an exclusive interview with Steve Harris.

This unique offer is only available as a Pre-order from the Iron Maiden Official Digital Store at www.ironmaiden.com. Pre-orders will be delivered on the 26th December, when the format will be deleted and no longer available.

This exclusive live version is in MP3 format that is compatible with PC, MP3 player, iPod and Mac!

Three traditional collectable formats will be available from local record stores from Tuesday 26th December:

Two-track CD – special souvenir price of £1.99 with previously unreleased live version of 'Iron Maiden'

Limited Edition 7" Picture Disc with previously unreleased live version of ‘Fear Of the Dark’

Limited Edition DVD Single with souvenir poster/07 Calendar - includes the animated video directed by Howard Greenhalgh, and the previously unreleased live version of ‘The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg’, and the new studio recording of FOCUS’ ‘Hocus Pocus’. There is also a full picture library of live photos from the tour for fans to enjoy.

All singles contain different tour photos, and live songs from A Matter Of Life And Death European Tour 2006

As a special bonus to fans, Steve Harris' daughter Lauren Harris and her band have been added for all dates from and including Den Bosch Holland on November 26 through to the two nights at Earls Court, London December 22 and 23.

Says manager Rod Smallwood; 'Lauren supported Maiden in Japan on our first two European shows in Denmark and went down really well, so we have added her to the UK section of the tour. Lauren will play for about 25 min each night prior to Trivium. This will not change the current running times of our shows or the sets played by Iron Maiden and TRIVIUM."

Upcoming Iron Maiden live dates can be found here.