FF Hydra all the way, Kenny. It has killer ink traps and comes in three widths -- FF Hydra (narrowest), FF Hydra Extended and FF Hydra Text (widest). Everyone I recommend it to falls head over heels for it.

These sort of fit that description:

Charter Oak
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/urw/charter-oak/

Antique Sans
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/woodentypefonts/antique-sans/

Serpentine (not strictly a sans-serif, but often used like one)
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/linotype/serpentine/

Helvetica Inserat
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/linotype/helvetica-inserat/

Gusto Black
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/bagraphics/gusto/

OL Newsbytes
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/ortizlopez/olnewsbytes/

Black Grotesk
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/paratype/blackgroteskatt/

Largo
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/urw/largo/

And, of course, Impact
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/ascender/impact/

David Thometz

This face, based on an old Barnhart Brother & Spindler face called Lining Gothic No. 71, isn't quite as square, but it's decidely less vertical than Trade Gothic Bold.

Hi Kenny. Plenty of good suggestions here already, but I think you're talking about the bolder weights of Eurostile or even Microgramma.

I would like to announce the quite brandnew Morris Sans by Dan Reynolds. Familiar in style but surprisingly fresh in lowercases.

thanks guys for all the input.

the FF Hydra Text is definitely looking sweet. i can't believe how closed the apertures are, but it's pretty much bang on as to what i was looking for.

as always, thanks again for all the input and the speedy replies.

and on a side note, what typeface is used for TYPOPHILE in the logo? is that a customized font or is it commercially available?

Commercially available from Hoefler & Frere-Jones.