I see TSOP as a nice dose of heavy THRASH with maybe occasionally awkward instrumentals. The one place I kind of roll my eyes is when the 'every instrument stops and the bass starts playing' thing shows up in two different songs around the same part. I just think it's good progressive thrash. It's much more thrash in a true sense than just about all of the new-old thrash bands coming out (like Warbringer, et al). Immortal has a very true influence too that comes through in the last two they had put out, but people don't really make note of that sort of thing because Immortal is supposed to be known as a black metal band and Death is supposed to be known as death metal (despite not being that for a number of albums), et al, et al.....but to me sounds like that are where thrash could and should go, instead of the lame retro stuff happening now and the old bands playing groove schlock. But it's odd to compare SA and Death anyway, the approach on 'A Sceptic's Universe' is far less traditional than what Death shows on their last album..to avoid a lot of geeky music-speak and get to the point, Death used many modes, signatures, and tempos which were already common for metal and for Death especially, and hung all the bells and whistles they could fit without completely changing them. SA starts, transitions, and stops in typically unorthodox ways altogether.
now to go back on track with thread....
The one song that drags a bit for me is 'Fountainhead', which is odd since I've seen many people list it as their favorite, but eh.
Also, the opening of 'White Walls' by Between The Buried And Me sounds just a littttttle bit too much like 'Adaptability' on 'ASU'..the kick is switched around a little, but it definitely seems like the band copped the feel of that section...just a little tidbit I've observed..
