Musical style
Labonte added that the majority of the new songs features "significant programming and electronic sounds. And that's something we wanted to have flowing through the entire record. So you're gonna hear that kind of influence on most of the tracks." [6]
Phil also stated: "On this record, there's five songs on the record that are exactly what you would expect from All That Remains. There's some songs where we kind of were, like, 'All right, let's push this and maybe change what we can do, or what All That Remains is allowed to do.' But it ain't like we're not heavy anymore. And if you're just, like, 'Oh, they're not heavy anymore,' then you're just not listening." [6]
The lyrics touch upon repeating harmful patterns, societal critiques, and a defiant "stick it to the man" attitude . Songs such as “Louder” and “Trust and Believe” are about standing up for oneself, not letting others define you, being assertive in who you are. [7] The music video for the title track received praise for sending a powerful message on post-traumatic stress disorder of military vets. [8]
Crypitic Rock wrote “The album mixes aggressive metal/metalcore sections (screams, breakdowns, heavy riffs) with more melodic vocals, cleaner choruses, acoustic or softer parts. This contrast underscores the lyrical themes: dark vs light, conflict vs resolution, struggle vs hope.” [9]
Reception
The album received mixed reviews. Aaron J. Marko of Exclaim! described the album as mediocre, generic and archaic. [11] Christopher Di Carlo of Overdrive magazine, [18] on the other hand, described the album as beautiful yet heavy. Jeannie Blue for Cryptic Rock stated “Madness is a somewhat schizophrenic dichotomy: equal parts pulsating, crushing bass and drums that echo the siren’s song of Thrash Metal with infectious choruses, catchy melodies, and atmospheric sounds that oft whisper of those Christian Rock folk.” [9] Ultimate Guitar wrote “It's not an atrocious album, and if it had been released by a much lesser-known band that hadn't been known for putting out much better work, it might even be worthy of some genuine praise. But All That Remains can do so much better.” [19] Mike of Didgital Journal on the other hand gave it a more positive review stating “These songs are made to be performed in a live setting, and the band as a whole showcases their talent on this project. This CD is a must for any heavy metal fan.” [20]
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