During album reviews for "All Hope Is Gone", "Dead Memories" was given good feedback for its melody and accessibility. Reviewing for Blabbermouth.net, Ryan Ogle says that the single shows Slipknot's diversity, he went on to say that it is "well-written and melodious". Dan Martin from "The Guardian" compared it to Metallica's song ""Enter Sandman"" and went on to say, "[it] is so listenable it's almost conventional." However, Jim Kaz of IGN said that the song almost detracts from the intensity of the album, stating, "it's at this point the band loses a little momentum." Additionally, Ogle of Blabbermouth.net also said that it's a song that "lack[s] the white hot fire that allows the rest of the disc to burn our asses."