"Entertainment.ie" reviewer Andrew Lynch wrote that "Meltdown" was "by far the heaviest-sounding album they've made to date, sometimes a bit too heavy for Tim Wheeler's slightly weedy voice." He added, "for all the bulldozer riffs and ferocious guitar solos on display here, the superb melodies prove that they're still just a great pop band at heart." "Pitchfork" contributor Jason Crock noted that while the album "rock harder, and with more snarl," than the band's past works, they "still can't help but reveal their melodic sweet tooth." "PopMatters" Adrien Begrand said the album was "slightly more consistent" than the previous one, highlighting Hatherley's talents as a guitarist and her vocals. "The Guardian" writer Steve Pill saw the album as "a festival set list in waiting ... this may be the first rock album of the year you can sing in the shower and make a better hash of." Kaj Roth of "Melodic" wrote that the band "cranked up the volume to 11 and then just rocked." He also called it one of the better albums of the year, as well as "one of the most fun to listen to".