"Kerrang!" and Sputnikmusic both gave the album 4 out of 5. Steve Huey of AllMusic rated the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as "One of the most influential heavy metal albums of the 1990s". He also said that while the album stacks the best songs at the beginning, the riffs and sonic textures are more consistently interesting than those used in "Cowboys from Hell". Janiss Garza writing for "Entertainment Weekly" said that it was "one of the most satisfying heavy metal records since Metallica's early-80s cult days". She also praised the album's two ballad tracks "This Love" and "Hollow", stating "their tough edge slashes painfully through deep introspection about personal relationships".