Then in 2007, GasHead dropped The Isolationist, a CD that made instant fans wherever there were ears present. Purdy brought a three dimensional voice to the proceedings. At times, he flashed a punkish snarl (Dissolve), in another moment he layered proto-thrash screams and growls, and to top it all off, Josh occasionally sang in a slightly angular attack, a la Maynard Keenan. It was a perfect marriage for the riffs the original three had cooked up. About halfway through the recording, the band was also able to snag that elusive full-time bass player as Justin Vaughan came aboard in time to record such important tunes as Speak and Divide, Summer of Man’s Best Friend, and the well-chosen cover of Grip Inc.’s Ostracized. The Isolationist would capture another Hapi Skratch award, this time for best metal release. Local and national reviews were coming in and it was an unquestioned favorite among critics. There was a lot of credit to be shared. Nate Scofield rightly cemented his status as one of the elite metal drummer in all of Colorado. Creative, technical, and passionate about his instrument, Nate has, from day one, been indispensable to the music that Mike and the band write. Derek came off of Knuckles having contributed about half the solos on that CD, and he helped turn Juarez and Dissolve into a couple of the most highly regarded tracks. Mike had also ramped up his visibility as one of the most prolific artists in the state, and he was turning more heads for his guitar playing with every gig the band played. It was five members all taking forward steps in their own right. The GasHead sound was flourishing.

Recently, GasHead has turned in what could be argued as its hottest release, the 2009 CD/DVD Seething Apparatus [EP]. The hookiest slab of metal since Juarez, lead-off number Mind of God seems destined to propel the band into new strata of recognition. The performances are all of The Isolationist and then some. Twice the thundering drum work, twice the ripping solos, twice the vocal personality, more meaty riffs per square inch. If that wasn’t enough, a DVD featuring the bands’ first official music video is included. Justin filmed and edited a visually arresting video for Speak and Divide (from The Isolationistt) while he was in school at Colorado State University. The band expects the package to get a lot of attention.

Looking forward never requires much of a crystal ball for GasHead. The band can write songs in their sleep, so the next riff monster is always just around the corner. The songs pull the leash and band follows right behind with its trademark growl. To borrow a line from Summer of Man’s Best Friend, “Suburbs, they will masticate”. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.