I don't think that stepping back is ever an option when you are trying to push music forwards.

Trying to recover that time from 2001-2002 would be impossible for hard trance because the main trademark of those tracks, the 'hennes & cold' bassline is now primarily associated with hardstyle. This is where the blurred borderline between the two genres that you speak of stems from.

The only way for hard trance is forwards - creating something new that will distinguish it from hardstyle.