Distort Yourself, Institute's September 2005 debut, marked Gavin Rossdale's return to rock, as he hadn't been heard from much since Bush's 2001 album, Golden State. The project paired his famously gravelly vocals with guitarist Chris Traynor (Orange 9mm, latter-day Helmet) and bassist Cache Tolman (CIV, Rival Schools), and Distort Yourself featured production from Helmet founder Page Hamilton. Institute received an early promotional boost when Rob Cohen featured the lead single, "Distort Yourself," in his summer 2005 action extravaganza Stealth.