"Alternative Press" praised the album's "deep, dubby bass lines, spooky melodic riffs and consistently heavy beats", while "The New York Times" called it "one of the most progressive rap projects to be released in the past year." "JazzTimes" lauded Thornton's lyrics, writing that his "...oddball excursions reach near-cinematic levels." "Melody Maker" called it "bloody essential" and stated, "While commercial American hip hop is slithering into an insipid mire of soulless, identikit swingbeat, Dr. Octagon has made an album swathed in character [...] Get yer prescription fixed." "The Source" awarded "Dr. Octagonecologyst" 3.5 out of 5 mikes, calling it a "quality album with the proper ingredients". In a more critical review, "Entertainment Weekly" writer David Browne praised the album's production but disliked Thornton's "inane, often gruesome" lyrics, instead recommending the album's instrumental counterpart "Instrumentalyst" to listeners.