Honestly, as much as I'd like a follow-up, I am inclined to think that even the guys in the band themselves know they can't top the debut. That album had intense chemistry and found the guys at their creative peak. Now, after all these years, if they sat down to write an album, they'd inevitably feel pressured to write in a similar vein and record equally dazzling passages, which will yield contrived compositions. I love Asgeir and I love Lars. I've heard dozens of other discs they've played on after they put out A Sceptic's Universe, with their work on Ihsahn's After being their best arguably, but I don't think they've ever matched the inventiveness of ASU. Besides, I doubt they feel really inspired to write a new album. If they did, they'd already have written it in the past 13 years. That's the trouble with reunions. Even though Spiral Architect never officially broke up, they've been inactive for decades. Some of the guys haven't probably even seen each other in years. Didn't Oyvind move to Sweden years ago? Is he back in Norway now? I remember talking to Oyvind and being so excited about him singing on the new Arcturus record because I've always considered his vocal lines and melodies among the most unconventional and complex. Then he just had to move to Sweden and Arcturus had to cut the record with Simen... Oh, well.
Anyone see my point? Anyone?