One my familiar beta tester said something like this: "The world of Elyos is the place were you want to live. Asmodians world is the place which you want to leave as soon as possible". And I completely agree with him. Too depressive - both music and design. Too grey. Too desert like. Yes its atmospheric at the first sight. But when you play for a long time in such locations it becomes borring and bleak. just IMHO. I prefer to spend my low levels in pleasent atmosphere.
p.s. asmo locations generate envy and hate for elyos bright and friendly world. may be designers wanted to to achieve exactly this effect
Leave depressive pve zones and kill them all in the Abyss and in elyos pve locations through portals ))