[2] Concerning the music, composer Don Gordon has said that he emphasized song structure and used straight forward drum patterns and standard dance style tempos to engage listeners.

When asked about the album's title, Gordon stated:[2] Death on the Installment Plan was a piece of literature that I read years ago.

"[3] A critic for Keyboard agreed, saying "buried beneath layers of chaos, there is real craftsmanship in Death" and "ultimately, Numb will reward those who seek artistic illumination in the darkest shadows of our psyches.

"[4] Staci Bonner of Spin praised the album's haunting atmosphere and called it "a disc full of distorted vocals and insane-sounding tape loops, strung together to convey deep, morbid concepts."

She went on to say "Numb's not the first band to try such a thing, but it handles the task with skill — crafting hard edges and sounds which are luridly inviting, like a haunted church.