Also, we can be sure that all this time is devoted to elaborating the recording: polishing sound and adding extra goodies.
While everyone is waiting, I recommend that you try Haggard and Estatic Fear. Both play masterpiece music,,, and if you become as hooked on EF as I am, you gonna suffer twice more, 'cause they also composed new material and were going to release it around summer 2009! :-[~
Another musical masterpiece is Liquid Tension Experiment (just like EF, they released their last (and second) album back in 1999, and then reunited only in 2008). Their live CD and DVD are coming in spring.
I feel like I need to fall into anabiosis until Summer!