Ok, it's a little late this year, but I have my top ten albums of 2004. Naturally, this is a completely subjective list, but at least it remains uninfluenced by sales, radio, etc. The more bands and cds I gain an interest in, the more difficult this list becomes to formulate - I ended-up with a 4-way tie for 10th place. So I've decided to extend it into a top fifteen. (I did a top twenty two years ago, but I think that was overdoing it.). And, so here you have it. (Of course, I reserve the right to change this list at any point - but that rarely happens because I give myself three freaking months to make sure I've heard as much as possible of all that was released in 2004.)

15. Unearth - The Oncoming Storm
14. The Showdown - A Chorus of Obliteration
13. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
12. Funeral For a Friend - Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation
11. Alexisonfire - Watch Out
10. Misery Signals - Of Malice and the Magnum Heart (everything the new Hopesfall SHOULD have been!)
9. Underoath - They're Only Chasing Safety
8. Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache
7. He Is Legend - I am Hollywood
6. MeWithoutYou - Catch For Us The Foxes
5. Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine
4. Brandtson - Send Us a Signal
3. Nightwish - Once
2. Project 86 - Songs to Burn Your Bridges By (T&N release)
1. Emery - The Weaks End


Honorable Mentions (and I'm not going to say that they are not in any particular order, because they kinda are):

Sparta - Porcelain
Hawthorne Heights - The Silence in Black and White
Zao - The Funeral of God
Dead Poetic - New Medicines
Far-Less - Turn to the Bright
Himsa - Courting Tradgedy and Disaster
Mute Math - Reset
Lovedrug - Pretend You're Alive
Further Seems Forever - Hide Nothing
Nightwish - Tales From the Elvenpath (a genuine best-of)
Demon Hunter - Summer of Darkness
Jimmy Eat World - Futures
Blindside - About a Burning Fire
Stavesacre - Bull Takes Fighter
Atreyu - The Curse
Andy Zipf - I Stole the Morning Sun
Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want To Be
Theivery Corporation - The Outernational Sound
Still Remains - If Love Was Born To Die
Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion



Most Disappointing Album of the Year: Hopesfall - A Types

I realize there are a lot of CD's up there, but keep in mind that I actually cut the honorable mentions list DOWN from a larger one. I try to find the good in things . . . which is odd, considering how cynical I can be.