Next /prog/ language

I've almost mastered PHP but I'm looking for another programming language to give me the sort of kick PHP does.

I've attempted C and C++ but got nothing out of it.

I've recently started looking into PERL and ASP. Though, looking at a bit of ASP, it seems too much like PHP.

I started toying with AJAX and Javascript a bit, but I hate XML.

Any suggestions /prog/?

>>10

The fact that you have to run it on a Windows machine makes it inferior to PHP.  It is so easy to root a Windows server running ASP or ASP.NET