The Colourflies are an alternative rock band hailing from Spokane, Washington, known for their unique blend of psychedelic and shoegaze influences. Their sound is characterized by an ethereal mix of obscured vocals, heavy guitar distortion and effects, and overwhelming volume, which aligns with the shoegaze subgenre. The band, fronted by singer/guitarist Matt Legard, also incorporates thoughtful lyrics and guitar riffs that have been compared to the grunge movement of the 1990s. With deep-rooted influences from 80s and 90s indie labels like SST, Twin Tone, and Sub-Pop, The Colourflies have forged a sound that is both experimental and melodic.

The band has been active for several years, releasing multiple albums and EPs. The Colourflies have collaborated with Blackhouse Records and have gained a following through live performances, music videos, and their presence on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. The band's dedication to their craft is evident in their prolific output and their commitment to creating a unique and immersive musical experience. They are also funny as fuck.

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 review was written in 2024.

I pretty much stopped listening to new music around the year 2000. Hate to sound like a cranky old man or an elitist snob, but around then my favorite bands started to let me down, and the new music coming out (nu metal; formulaic, lazy hiphop; the prevalence of autotune) didn’t hold my interest. The Interrupters put out a very good album six or seven years ago, and at some point I did a deep dive into Rancid’s back catalog, Overkill and The Dance Hall Crashers, but that was pretty much it. I was happy with what I had. And then I heard Butterbrain’s 2019 EP.

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.