Top 13 Music Albums of 2004 by 
DriftingOrpheus 
- Chart updated: 04/04/2024 15:45
- (Created: 06/12/2020 07:55).
- Chart size: 13 albums.
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There was once a time when Cancerslug was a whisper. An underground, seemingly occult legend that was forged in the deepest swamps of Alabama. Their music was self-released, self-produced and polished with their own sweat and blood. It was in a word: relentless. In 1999, the subsection of Horror rock and Horror punk had seen its resources sucked bone dry. The Misfits of the late 70's and early 80's had long since been the standard bearer of a genre which had seen its numbers slowly dwindle. That's not say Cancerslug's music should be lumped in with any contemporaries. The band was a beast of its own, but at the time, they didn't make much of a splash outside of their stomping grounds in the south. Theirs is a mythos that grew and shrunk simultaneously throughout time. At the forefront of it all is lead singer/writer Alex Story, who's seen eras, lineups and even bandmates (drummer Mike Horgan) come to pass. His vision for what Cancerslug could be was enough to brand the band "the most vile band on Earth". Despite the perfectly fitting moniker, there was a distinct method to the boundless madness. A formula that was incapable of replication; a chemical synthesis of fury, repugnance and supernatural power that was perfected on 2004's 'Battle Hymns II'.
There's a raw, unpolished disregard that permeates through the veins of 'Battle Hymns II'. The devil-may-care production only enhances the material and the legacy it leaves behind, like a piece of cursed media or an unreleased 911 call. While rhapsodizing about 'little angels who want to be sex crime victims' and 'lasting a single minute more with pagan whores', the band leaves in spits, slip-ups and guitar feedback that bookends tracks like recording session timestamps. Lead singer Alex Story's howl corrals the sonic storms of crashing cymbal hits blended with scraping guitar strings and gives them direction. It's no secret that the band tends to re-record tracks from their past and reimagine them in different colors. Interestingly, the re-touching of traversed lands worked for the group as each entry brought a different energy that rarely disappointed in the early days of Cancerslug. There's a thickness to the production here; a heavy, corrosive presence that aids in the culmination of something wholly unholy. Still, melody isn't compromised, truthfully, it's just the opposite. To dissect it further in a musical sense would be an injustice to the very essence of what the album offers. It's devoid of form by intention, ancient in its nature and the equivalent of unearthing a malevolent curse from centuries ago and having it embody a 22-track album. A more appropriate way to observe 'Battle Hymns II' is through its prose. Deeply abrasive, satanic and nihilistic, Alex Story's lyricism is the perfect accompaniment to the already haunting sonic disposition. Some selections include, 'Sex Crime Victim', 'Demon in My Pants', 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'Creation Teardrops'. On 'Cycle of the Wolf' Story details, "The hunger burning in these veins to feed, to fuck, to live unchained, to bend the back and walk the earth on all fours." Despite its rather obvious connections to the commonly known werewolf myth, there's a frightening reality to the delivery, as if Story and company mean it in a literal sense, possibly alluding to the animalistic nature of society's most depraved. Creative subtlety is rife on the record (something that modern Cancerslug sorely lacks), but Story makes room for a healthy dose of skin-crawling bluntness. He writes on 'The Raven', "Taking baby out for a treat tonight, fuck her up the ass with a switchblade knife; I don't know if it's love but it's alright." The track has little in common with Poe's tale (other than the call and response of Nevermore), but Story's version remains on of the album's most visceral accounts.
Other parables of woe include 'So Many Dead', where Story screeches, "I put on the mask, I take up the knife I put on the gloves, I'll take your life; I am a fucking force of nature". The band effortlessly typifies the uncomfortable reality that percolates throughout 'BH II'. That's precisely why they occupied such a unique space amongst the Horror rock landscape. Their approach (in their prime), complete with a bedeviling delivery, convey the image of an act that may not know where the performance ends and the actuality begins. In other instances, Story honors his idols such as Italian filmmaker Lucio Fulci on 'Cat in the Brain', a song inspired by the 1990 horror film of the same name. The band even employs a softer touch on the record (by their standards) with 'In Dreams', a (dare I say) touching story of longing and repudiation. Story croons, "I can feel the fear inside of you; I'm amazed by your strength and pride and you will be forever by my side; No, there'll be no more pain so dry your lovely eyes." The album's magnum opus is 'Death's Call', a track so audibly haunting that Story's ghostly bellows seem to emanate from the attic above, through waterlogged plaster at 3AM. Nihilistic fervor takes hold with Story's declarations, "Everywhere I go, death comes calling to take me home; I will die alone and death comes calling to take me home." The nauseously named 'Fetus Milkshake' is a molten, sluggish account of a self-performed clothes hanger abortion told with unnerving explicitness. "When you are safe in mommy's womb, don't let the clothes hanger bother you; When you feel your limbs being torn away, don't feel bad you'll find them down the drain." Despite its unabashed ugliness, the hypnotic sway of 'Fetus Milkshake' give it the qualities of a diabolic lullaby. Story takes no position on the issue. He merely remains an observer. He's happy to just report upon horrors rather than analyze them.
Soon, the edge faded, the anger dwindled and the ferocity that separated Cancerslug from droves of gimmick bands that tried to reinvigorate horror-inspired rock and roll died off. It was replaced with vulgarity for vulgarity's sake. Shock value songs instead of the hair-raising mystery and mythology that encased the group in its heyday and all that remained was a pale reflection. There's blame to be shared in both camps, the band's and the blame of our expectations. People change, and ambition quells but few can deny the horrifying enigma Cancerslug once was. A beast that stalked the nights on internet forums and in the basements of horror aficionados everywhere. It's unlikely that Cancerslug will make much of an impression on music platforms or that it will even resonate with anyone reading this. Still it must be documented that their brilliance and bottled hate once inspired joy and dread in those who faced their music. Even the most docile and non-confrontational of individuals would know the face of true rage which the band communicated seemlessly during the early oughts. That's the kind of ruthless insight Cancerslug would spew when its revelry knew no bounds and its carnage took no prisoners. 'Battle Hymns II' is one of the most striking, deftly-aimed, sensational albums of the 21st century and so very few know of its power. It's meant to be listened to through the most imperfect of equipment and in the most hostile of environments. Be careful and tread lightly when you speak its name, for you must be prepared for the sinister, soul-blackening contents held within.
"I've got my innocence.
I'm gonna fuck you with it and I won't stop until I am through."
- If I Should Die Tonight
Standout Tracks:
1. Death's Call
2. Fetus Milkshake
3. The Raven
92 [First added to this chart: 06/13/2020]
There's a raw, unpolished disregard that permeates through the veins of 'Battle Hymns II'. The devil-may-care production only enhances the material and the legacy it leaves behind, like a piece of cursed media or an unreleased 911 call. While rhapsodizing about 'little angels who want to be sex crime victims' and 'lasting a single minute more with pagan whores', the band leaves in spits, slip-ups and guitar feedback that bookends tracks like recording session timestamps. Lead singer Alex Story's howl corrals the sonic storms of crashing cymbal hits blended with scraping guitar strings and gives them direction. It's no secret that the band tends to re-record tracks from their past and reimagine them in different colors. Interestingly, the re-touching of traversed lands worked for the group as each entry brought a different energy that rarely disappointed in the early days of Cancerslug. There's a thickness to the production here; a heavy, corrosive presence that aids in the culmination of something wholly unholy. Still, melody isn't compromised, truthfully, it's just the opposite. To dissect it further in a musical sense would be an injustice to the very essence of what the album offers. It's devoid of form by intention, ancient in its nature and the equivalent of unearthing a malevolent curse from centuries ago and having it embody a 22-track album. A more appropriate way to observe 'Battle Hymns II' is through its prose. Deeply abrasive, satanic and nihilistic, Alex Story's lyricism is the perfect accompaniment to the already haunting sonic disposition. Some selections include, 'Sex Crime Victim', 'Demon in My Pants', 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'Creation Teardrops'. On 'Cycle of the Wolf' Story details, "The hunger burning in these veins to feed, to fuck, to live unchained, to bend the back and walk the earth on all fours." Despite its rather obvious connections to the commonly known werewolf myth, there's a frightening reality to the delivery, as if Story and company mean it in a literal sense, possibly alluding to the animalistic nature of society's most depraved. Creative subtlety is rife on the record (something that modern Cancerslug sorely lacks), but Story makes room for a healthy dose of skin-crawling bluntness. He writes on 'The Raven', "Taking baby out for a treat tonight, fuck her up the ass with a switchblade knife; I don't know if it's love but it's alright." The track has little in common with Poe's tale (other than the call and response of Nevermore), but Story's version remains on of the album's most visceral accounts.
Other parables of woe include 'So Many Dead', where Story screeches, "I put on the mask, I take up the knife I put on the gloves, I'll take your life; I am a fucking force of nature". The band effortlessly typifies the uncomfortable reality that percolates throughout 'BH II'. That's precisely why they occupied such a unique space amongst the Horror rock landscape. Their approach (in their prime), complete with a bedeviling delivery, convey the image of an act that may not know where the performance ends and the actuality begins. In other instances, Story honors his idols such as Italian filmmaker Lucio Fulci on 'Cat in the Brain', a song inspired by the 1990 horror film of the same name. The band even employs a softer touch on the record (by their standards) with 'In Dreams', a (dare I say) touching story of longing and repudiation. Story croons, "I can feel the fear inside of you; I'm amazed by your strength and pride and you will be forever by my side; No, there'll be no more pain so dry your lovely eyes." The album's magnum opus is 'Death's Call', a track so audibly haunting that Story's ghostly bellows seem to emanate from the attic above, through waterlogged plaster at 3AM. Nihilistic fervor takes hold with Story's declarations, "Everywhere I go, death comes calling to take me home; I will die alone and death comes calling to take me home." The nauseously named 'Fetus Milkshake' is a molten, sluggish account of a self-performed clothes hanger abortion told with unnerving explicitness. "When you are safe in mommy's womb, don't let the clothes hanger bother you; When you feel your limbs being torn away, don't feel bad you'll find them down the drain." Despite its unabashed ugliness, the hypnotic sway of 'Fetus Milkshake' give it the qualities of a diabolic lullaby. Story takes no position on the issue. He merely remains an observer. He's happy to just report upon horrors rather than analyze them.
Soon, the edge faded, the anger dwindled and the ferocity that separated Cancerslug from droves of gimmick bands that tried to reinvigorate horror-inspired rock and roll died off. It was replaced with vulgarity for vulgarity's sake. Shock value songs instead of the hair-raising mystery and mythology that encased the group in its heyday and all that remained was a pale reflection. There's blame to be shared in both camps, the band's and the blame of our expectations. People change, and ambition quells but few can deny the horrifying enigma Cancerslug once was. A beast that stalked the nights on internet forums and in the basements of horror aficionados everywhere. It's unlikely that Cancerslug will make much of an impression on music platforms or that it will even resonate with anyone reading this. Still it must be documented that their brilliance and bottled hate once inspired joy and dread in those who faced their music. Even the most docile and non-confrontational of individuals would know the face of true rage which the band communicated seemlessly during the early oughts. That's the kind of ruthless insight Cancerslug would spew when its revelry knew no bounds and its carnage took no prisoners. 'Battle Hymns II' is one of the most striking, deftly-aimed, sensational albums of the 21st century and so very few know of its power. It's meant to be listened to through the most imperfect of equipment and in the most hostile of environments. Be careful and tread lightly when you speak its name, for you must be prepared for the sinister, soul-blackening contents held within.
"I've got my innocence.
I'm gonna fuck you with it and I won't stop until I am through."
- If I Should Die Tonight
Standout Tracks:
1. Death's Call
2. Fetus Milkshake
3. The Raven
92 [First added to this chart: 06/13/2020]
1
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90.7
[First added to this chart: 06/13/2020]
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90.6
[First added to this chart: 06/12/2020]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,693
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
These days, Interpol are a three-piece unit. This is a reality that tends to correlate to their recent dip in critical applause. Their latest two records, El Pintor and Marauder, both feature the absence of longtime bassist Carlos Dengler. Dengler had departed Interpol due to dissension between he and the rest of the band after 2010's self-titled album was released. Despite this change leading to reformed spiritual harmony within the trio, the band lost a sizable fragment of their sonic identity. The ex-bassist's greatest contributions to Interpol come in the form of 2004's sophomore effort, Antics. The record was received favorably by the music press but (ludicrously) didn't obtain the same amount of fanfare as their debut record. Antics is punchier, bleaker and just as addictive as Turn on the Bright Lights. It exhibits an artist unburdened by a gaping hole in their lineup and a quintet feverishly relishing their collective creative prime.
Antics begins by lighting a slow-burning fuse titled Next Exit. A somber, hypnotic opener introducing the listener, reluctantly, to the forthcoming tale of social turbulence. Vocalist Paul Banks remarks, "You've been building up steam, ignited by this fight, so do this thing with me instead of tying on a tight one tonight", calling for bravery in the face of a discouraging, drug-infused descent. The fuse then greets the explosive with second track, Evil. The track is powered by Dengler's intoxicating bassline that cradles the song throughout its duration. The jovial tinge of the track is diversified by Banks' lyrics that conjure the personas of infamous British serial killers Fred and Rosemary West. Spoken from the perspective of the former, Banks chants, "Rosemary, heaven restores you in life, you're coming with me, through the aging, the fearing, the strife." Fourth track, Take You on a Cruise, serves as the centerpiece, fading in slowly like a ship through a dense fog bank. Banks himself has described this as a slight departure from the pathos of the album. He claims, "It has a different tone to the rest of the record for that reason. It’s a tacky seduction story: this guy who may be worldly and well-educated but he’s trying to get laid with a cocktail waitress." The coalescence of the rhythm section in the second half of the track is as majestic as the maritime imagery Banks' poetry frames. This conglomerate plays wonderfully aside Banks chanting, "White Goddess, red Goddess, black Temptress of the sea, you treat me right," calling upon Greek mythology. The finale serves as one of the band's most overlooked cuts. A Time to Be So Small has sonic textures that fashion an appropriate ending for the album with Banks' baritone bathed in reverb as the track floats away. Fogarino's drum hits here have such a fascinating sense of weight that they can be felt within your chest cavity. The song itself is said to be written from the point of view of a crustacean watching a family squabble between a father and son. Go figure. However, aquatic anomaly aside, the lyrics convey a more sinister coloring. The LP ends with Banks proclaiming, "When the cadaverous mob saves its doors for the dead men, you cannot leave," sharpening the threat of death at sea.
Unfortunately for the immensely gifted ensemble, Antics would serve as the band's final full-length classic. Here, the synthesis of emotional tonnage into harmonious elixir is strikingly effortless. Interpol would go on to produce four more above-average, but never legendary albums. As conversed earlier, a portion of it spawned from the crater left by their skillful bass player, but this came long after they'd pumped out their fourth outing. Others would potentially point out that the fracture left behind from the infighting did more damage to the psyche of the band rather than the group's sonic capabilities. Whatever it was, Interpol would never reach these heights again but with that said, not many artists have. A very small sector of the music-making landscape could brandish not one, but two classics to start a recording career. Interpol swam in the deepest of waters with the most fearsome of fauna and emerged remarkably relevant and intact. They've climbed back into their luxury liner with two first-class albums shoveling coal into their furnaces. Interpol has earned the right to go at their own pace now and anything they serve us in the future is a much obliged bonus. The timid, sharply dressed boys from the big city have nothing more to prove.
"If time is my vessel, then learning to love
Might be my way back to sea
The flying, the metal, the turning above
These are just ways to be seen"
-Public Pervert
Standout Tracks:
1. Take You on a Cruise
2. A Time to Be So Small
3. C'mere
90.2 [First added to this chart: 06/12/2020]
Antics begins by lighting a slow-burning fuse titled Next Exit. A somber, hypnotic opener introducing the listener, reluctantly, to the forthcoming tale of social turbulence. Vocalist Paul Banks remarks, "You've been building up steam, ignited by this fight, so do this thing with me instead of tying on a tight one tonight", calling for bravery in the face of a discouraging, drug-infused descent. The fuse then greets the explosive with second track, Evil. The track is powered by Dengler's intoxicating bassline that cradles the song throughout its duration. The jovial tinge of the track is diversified by Banks' lyrics that conjure the personas of infamous British serial killers Fred and Rosemary West. Spoken from the perspective of the former, Banks chants, "Rosemary, heaven restores you in life, you're coming with me, through the aging, the fearing, the strife." Fourth track, Take You on a Cruise, serves as the centerpiece, fading in slowly like a ship through a dense fog bank. Banks himself has described this as a slight departure from the pathos of the album. He claims, "It has a different tone to the rest of the record for that reason. It’s a tacky seduction story: this guy who may be worldly and well-educated but he’s trying to get laid with a cocktail waitress." The coalescence of the rhythm section in the second half of the track is as majestic as the maritime imagery Banks' poetry frames. This conglomerate plays wonderfully aside Banks chanting, "White Goddess, red Goddess, black Temptress of the sea, you treat me right," calling upon Greek mythology. The finale serves as one of the band's most overlooked cuts. A Time to Be So Small has sonic textures that fashion an appropriate ending for the album with Banks' baritone bathed in reverb as the track floats away. Fogarino's drum hits here have such a fascinating sense of weight that they can be felt within your chest cavity. The song itself is said to be written from the point of view of a crustacean watching a family squabble between a father and son. Go figure. However, aquatic anomaly aside, the lyrics convey a more sinister coloring. The LP ends with Banks proclaiming, "When the cadaverous mob saves its doors for the dead men, you cannot leave," sharpening the threat of death at sea.
Unfortunately for the immensely gifted ensemble, Antics would serve as the band's final full-length classic. Here, the synthesis of emotional tonnage into harmonious elixir is strikingly effortless. Interpol would go on to produce four more above-average, but never legendary albums. As conversed earlier, a portion of it spawned from the crater left by their skillful bass player, but this came long after they'd pumped out their fourth outing. Others would potentially point out that the fracture left behind from the infighting did more damage to the psyche of the band rather than the group's sonic capabilities. Whatever it was, Interpol would never reach these heights again but with that said, not many artists have. A very small sector of the music-making landscape could brandish not one, but two classics to start a recording career. Interpol swam in the deepest of waters with the most fearsome of fauna and emerged remarkably relevant and intact. They've climbed back into their luxury liner with two first-class albums shoveling coal into their furnaces. Interpol has earned the right to go at their own pace now and anything they serve us in the future is a much obliged bonus. The timid, sharply dressed boys from the big city have nothing more to prove.
"If time is my vessel, then learning to love
Might be my way back to sea
The flying, the metal, the turning above
These are just ways to be seen"
-Public Pervert
Standout Tracks:
1. Take You on a Cruise
2. A Time to Be So Small
3. C'mere
90.2 [First added to this chart: 06/12/2020]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,509
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
88.1
[First added to this chart: 06/12/2020]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
41,263
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
86.7
[First added to this chart: 06/12/2020]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,433
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
81.5
[First added to this chart: 10/21/2020]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
16,088
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
79.2
[First added to this chart: 06/12/2020]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,324
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
78.8
[First added to this chart: 02/21/2023]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
78.1
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,513
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 13. Page 1 of 2
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Top 13 Music Albums of 2004 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| Cancerslug | 2 | 15% | |
| Joanna Newsom | 1 | 8% | |
| Interpol | 1 | 8% | |
| Arcade Fire | 1 | 8% | |
| MF DOOM | 1 | 8% | |
| Madvillain | 1 | 8% | |
| Björk | 1 | 8% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 13 Music Albums of 2004 chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 10th to 11th Venice by Fennesz |
| Down 1 from 11th to 12th Rollercoaster by The Adicts |
| Down 1 from 12th to 13th Real Gone by Tom Waits |
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DriftingOrpheus (2024)Top 13 Music Albums of 2004 ratings
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We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.