Absolute Label Services has announced a deal with independent label Earache Records.

Absolute and Earache inked their partnership earlier this year and have been working together under the radar, with Absolute providing physical retail, marketing and distribution, as well as digital marketing, for the label in the UK.

This announcement comes after Earache and Absolute scored their second album chart hit of the year, with Those Damn Crows’ Point Of No Return becoming a Top 20 LP in the UK in February, and Massive Wagons’ House Of Noise hitting No.9 at the end of last month (Friday 24 July).

Founded in Nottingham in 1985 by Digby Pearson, Earache originally focussed on grindcore and punk and has gone on to release genre-defining albums across death metal, industrial, thrash, blues rock, country, black metal and more.

Since 2012, the label has seen particular success on the UK Albums Chart with releases from The Temperance Movement, Blackberry Smoke and Rival Sons.

The label was followed with divisions in publishing, management and live – with Earache having curated stages at some of the UK’s best festivals such as Glastonbury and Boomtown.

Absolute Senior Label Manager Kate Hendry said: “Earache’s catalogue is one I’ve been a fangirl of for a long time. The team over there are great partners and receptive to any ideas we have about furthering the sales reach of that catalogue, as well as their frontline priority releases. They’ve worked hard to be not only a label but a brand with a huge following and extension into the live scene. We’ve been fortunate enough to help them achieve both of their priority chart goals this year via physical distribution, marketing, and digital marketing, and long may it continue.”

Earache Founder and CEO Digby Pearson said: “We’re happy to announce that we’ve been working with Absolute since signing our physical business with them at the start of the year for the UK. They have a specific understanding of our space and, more importantly, are well in line with our independent, pioneering spirit. A Top 20 success followed by a Top 10 result this month with our latest priority act Massive Wagons’ sophomore album has been down to impeccable teamwork, of which Kate and the team’s creative advising on physical retail marketing initiatives are a part. We look forward to working future releases with them.”

Founded in 1998, Absolute is one of the world’s most established independent label services companies. It has a varied client base, having worked on high profile album releases from artists and including Deep Purple, Procol Harum, Bowling For Soup, Deacon Blue, Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn, All Saints, Rat Boy, Jake Shears and many more in recent years.