I agree with Jeto.
+ And I want to add....
you said: "Trance with no melodies at all is not Trance!"
Well... think about ancient shamans.......... only instrument they had was some drum. With that they created simple monotous beat and danced themself to trance........ so in a way minimal trance is even more close to true trance music that melodical trance.
I was also attracted into this music because of those eastern elements and powerfull beat............ but I don't want to listen same stuff all my life........... so in my mind minimal trance was fresh change to this scene. Now it seems to go back to melodical direction.