Non - Defensive opening against D4

So against 1.d4, I've tried quite a variety of openings (KID, Slav, QGD etc) but every time it just seems like I have to defend for the majority of the game, with white having a massive space advantage. I'm looking for an opening similar to the Queen's Gambit or the Caro with c5 (botvinnik carls defence) where I can have an equal opening, but slowly build an attack in mid game with batteries and rook stacking. Please do not simply recommend the slav because it has c6, since it has a pretty different playstyle to the aggressive version of the caro I play. Also, please don't just recommend your own opening if it isn't relevant since I find solid openings extremely mundane and boring. Any suggestions?

When you say you "played the slav" I have no idea what lines you actually played, the slav is a rich opening.

d4 is a difficult move to meet, all the options have drawbacks... it's also a very stable opening. If you want a certain timing of attack that limits things further. If you specifically want rooks on open files... well at this point you're getting specific enough to where you probably should just choose the opening for yourself, you don't need recommendations, you already know what you want.

Here are the main options and general themes:

Benko - you sacrifice a pawn, in exchange you get open files on the queenside and a strong initiative throughout the middlegame

Tarrasch - you get an IQP position and a very active middlegame with open e and c files

semi-tarrasch - depends on what style you play but can also lead to an IQP similar to the tarrasch, or more draw-like positions depending on what variation you go for

Grunfeld - it's a maneuvering position where all pieces develop and tension builds on whites central pawns, the c file often opens up and the grunfeld bishop exerts pressure along its diagonal, white will often push the d pawn and black has to blockade it

KID - black typically launches a kingside attack while white undermines it on the queenside

QGD - depends on the variation, there are tons of variations of the QGD, but generally this is a more positional opening that follows classical principles

QGA - generally a solid attacking game, the position opens earlier and there's more piece play. If white plays e4 the games can get chaotic, if they play the mainline the patterns are more typical of queens gambit openings

Slav - as I said it's a rich opening, there are a variety of solid early gambits that put pressure on white to know the lines, you can also play it more positionally, really depends on how you want to play it

triangle slav - there are some interesting gambits here, the main line leads to the noteboom which takes an early pawn and is quite effective at club level, against the quiet slav you can either transpose into a meran semi slav or play a stonewall structure. allows you to avoid the exchange slav but in return you do have to play a few sharp lines.

semi-slav - depending on how white plays it you can get very chaotic positions or positional games where black is a bit backed up and usually working toward an e5 pawn break

albin / budapest - can put the pressure on white early to handle it correctly if you don't mind cheesy slightly unsound openings

chigorin defense - often leads to long grinding games where pawn structure is very important and black slowly edges toward equality, but the positions are generally complex and full of interesting tactics

benoni - black has to play around the center pawn and maneuver well into the middlegame to very slowly break out and possibly equalize

dutch - depends on the variation, the main lines are more positional (though still very double edged) but sidelines are often very explosive and unstable, not always in a good way for black. But if you want a dynamic game this is one way to do it.

english defense - an aggressive early midgame where you vie for control of e4 earlier than you would in the nimzo, there are some very dynamic and chaotic lines that can result, especially against the d4/c4 setup

nimzo indian - depends on the variation but generally black will get good pressure in the early game, force some concessions from white, often trade off the darksquare bishop, white will eventually get some central control, and black will work to undermine the center

QID - a more positional game that centers around control of the e4 square and the queenside diagonal

You are going to have to ensure at least some sort of stability in the centre before starting any other sort of plan and with d4, there isn't a one-move option to immediately clarify how the centre will play out.

I used to play the Caro-Kann as black...what is your answer to 1. e4 c6 2. c4 and 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. cxd5 (Panov attack)? I have seen at Anatoly Karpov/Mikhail Podgaets 200+ page book on this variation and there are a lot of serious variations there where black does not get to do 'batteries and rook stacking' as you put it

Also, for 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2/Nf3 in the Caro-Kann, black doesn't get to play ...c5 until after move 10 usually.