The album marked the first time the band had Ted Templeman working in a producer capacity since 1984, when David Lee Roth was still lead singer.

It also included unreleased concert footage from the band's December 4, 1991, performance in Dallas, Texas captured during the “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour".

Prior to recording, the term "for unlawful carnal knowledge" was used by the band Coven as a track on their album Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls in 1969.

The album itself was marketed as the "return" to Van Halen's hard rock roots,[9] with most songs being guitar driven, and the synth sounds being replaced by pianos.

"Poundcake" featured the sound of a battery-operated Makita power drill, which Eddie held to the pickups of his guitar and revved, creating the intro.

Rolling Stone's John Milward rated the album two out of five stars, explaining that it "is so stuffed with zigzagging guitars and blustery vocals that it almost forgets to rock.

Eddie Van Halen, who probably has more guitars than teeth, upends such a tackle box of hooks that they only start to surface after repeated listenings.

He stated that the title "indicates the true nature of For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge [...] Backing away from the diversity of OU812, the band turns in some of the most basic, straightforward rock & roll of its career."

He concluded that, even though the band continued to be tight and professional, the songwriting "is, by and large, undistinguished, with the anthemic 'Right Now' standing out as the most memorable song of the batch, mainly because of its incessant chorus.