Decibel Magazine listed Given to the Rising as the 76th-best metal album of the decade.

The artwork for the album, designed by Josh Graham, is a mixture of photos from Heroes Square in Budapest and drawings inspired by the place.

Coincidentally, singer/guitarist Steve Von Till and Josh Graham had separately thought of the idea of using Heroes Square as the artwork for the album.

The album has been described by music critics as a more aggressive, heavier album than their recent previous output, showcasing a "more direct and hard-hitting approach", resulting in "their heaviest record since 99's 'Times Of Grace'".

"[2] AllMusic's Thom Jurek praised it as "one hell of an album, better than anyone had any right to expect, and one of the high moments in a career filled with them.