Well, towards the beginning of the year, it was easily Auf der Maur. But that's before I heard Ghost's Hypnotic Underworld, Neurosis' Eye of the Storm (easily my metal album of the year), Dresden Dolls, Ayreon's Human Equation and Múm's Summer Make Good. And those are just the contender's for the top spot. Miss Kittin got ousted (from that top spot) by one track, dagnabit. I'm still weeding through my 2004 releases, I may have missed something.