Bass guitarist and vocalist Mark Sokoll, known professionally as CHAKA, has been an active force in the New York City music scene since 1986, when he first picked up the bass guitar and joined Terminal Confusion (NYHC). His musical journey includes playing bass guitar and contributing background vocals for a variety of punk and metal bands, such as Hypoxia and Leeway.

CHAKA began as a side-project for Sokoll while he was the bassist for Darkside NYC. The project’s sound draws heavily from the raw energy and dark atmospheres of bands like Celtic Frost, Venom, and Cro-Mags. CHAKA is strongly influence by anthropolofy and prehistory and are considered the progenitors of cave metal, a monicker that Sokoll embraces.

GIFTSHOP was founded at Warren Street Studios, NYC in 2007, uniting members of Rochester's Bee Eater with NYC's The Hi-Scores. GIFTSHOP electrifies audiences with dynamic live shows earning them a dedicated following. The band's skilled songwriting and execution of multi-genre material is the genius of GIFTSHOP with Meghan Taylor's powerful vocals leading the way. The band has played at countless East Coast venues, primarily in New York City. Band members are originally from Rochester, New York, Dothan, Alabama, and Manhattan, NYC – but GIFTSHOP the band calls Astoria, Queens - where they are cult-icons – home. These Astoria indie scene- makers are also, apparently, an extraordinarily tidy band. Filling out the lineup is Matt Santoro on lead guitar and backing vocals, Jordan Kramer on drums, and Damian Eckstein on bass and backing vocals (and also responsible for one of the coolest bass intros we’ve know, but we’ll get to that).

NYHC Comics was founded in the fall of 2012 by two long-time friends, Debo Da Pro and Lee Farrelly, who shared a passion for punk, NYHC, comics, and horror. After attending a New York Comic Con event, they felt they could "do this & do it better," leading to the spontaneous creation of the name "New York Hardcore Comics". The company was built on a DIY ethos, with the founders doing everything themselves, from building shelves to salvaging glass cabinets from the garbage. They opened a physical store the following year, which was a community hub that catered to their customers, friends, and family by finding rare items they knew they would appreciate. The founders believe that punk, metal, hardcore, reggae, and ska have influenced the comic book world in countless ways, from the art and storylines to the artists themselves.

This may be the only product out there that has it’s own rhythm section. And not only are they hard-working entrepreneurs, they are personally very nice guys (if you’re new to knifetwister records, we don’t interview dicks).

The Dispoze-a-Bowl® smoking pipe represents a distinctive offering in the smoking accessory market, positioned as an economical, disposable, yet potentially reusable alternative to conventional pipes crafted from materials such as glass, wood, or corn cob. We had a chance to catch up with CEO Rob Coscia and COO Mike Caldarella.

The creative force behind NYC ska/punk/funk pioneers Butterbrain. Hailing from Queens, his career spans stints in bands as diverse as White Trash, Murphy’s Law, Skarhead and Hash.