This was a tricky review for a few reasons:
1) I've heard quite a bit of Hunter's output, both studio and live, and think he is quite often reviewed too harshly
2) AoS is arguably more discrete than (at least some of) his previous efforts, though I'm quite happy with some previous efforts, so it's not a dramatic change, from my POV
3) The mix doesn't strike me as being as "aggressive" as a Wilson or Scheiner mix, though it's tough to say exactly why. It's possible AoS is every bit as discrete as some of their works. Comparing engineers can be somewhat futile, if they all have a range of effectiveness, all of which overlap, to some extent.
Coming out and saying Hunter has achieved a fully effective surround mix would invite criticism and mistrust from those who are biased against him already. Criticizing the mix too harshly, when it very closely resembles a Wilson or Scheiner mix in many ways would be unfair and also probably alienate certain fans.
Hopefully I struck a pretty good balance, but like I said, this kind of thing can be tough.