I don't think it is too alien - I think that at least two out of four covenants are weird. Maldraxxus is a plague/flesh zone in a realm for souls. Why? Ardenweald makes sense with this whole wildseed/reborn stuff. The whole angelic theme with Kyrian also works. Revendreth is nicely exectued but what's the point of those vampires there? This xpac also misses to introduce "clear enemy" races. Sometimes the plague guys are good, then they are bad, then the bone guys are good, then the flesh guys. Half of the vampires is good the other half evil. Why?
I think the best zone in terms of execution of the theme is still the maw. It is too small, but the theme fits to the xpac and to the whole idea of bodyless-souls. Many nice concepts in SL but not good executed overall. I can't see how 9.1 would change this.