Paradise Lost has a few good reasons as to why it took five years between Obsidian in 2020 and Ascension in 2025. Part of that shift came from Paradise Lost's decision to re-record their classic Icon album, a project that unexpectedly reshaped how Mackintosh thought about music. "I think it was the right thing to do, because my outlook had completely changed," said Mackintosh. "[It] changed my outlook on songwriting a little bit and guitar playing. It took me back to a style that I hadn't really thought about in a long time, and I didn't realize how much my style had changed over the years."