[3] In a statement announcing the record deal, Blood & Ink wrote of Household: "Just barely out of high school, these five have already learned what it means to work hard and make a name for themselves in the Minneapolis scene.
With no concern for the status quo, their take on punk/hardcore is passionate, intense and simply refreshing",[10] and characterized their sound as a "raw yet mature blend of modern, melodic hardcore.
"[11][3] Along with the announcement of signing to Blood & Ink, Household also released a music video for "Reservoir",[10][12] the first single from their forthcoming debut EP, With or Without.
[13] Under the Gun Review speculated that Household's EP would appeal to fans of "everything from La Dispute and Aviator to Shai Hulud."
[5] Their debut was met with excitement in the local Minneapolis scene, and soon after started earning the band national attention,[14] supported by an ambitious touring schedule.
With or Without rooted the band's sound in melodic hardcore and punk, and drew comparisons to Killing The Dream, Shai Hulud, Sinking Ships,[15] and The Chariot.
"[14] Indie Vision described the release as "a mash-up of melodic hardcore, chaos, and post-hardcore" that finds its place "in the large revival of 90s style raw hardcore/metalcore, a artistic [sic] look back at a time when passion and honesty played a foundational role in a band's identity.
"[17] Other reviewers pointed to the raw and, at times, imperfect recordings as a factor in bolstering the band's energetic sound, as well as strengthening the themes of honesty and vulnerability that Household explored on the EP.
'"[14][5] In a later interview with New Noise Magazine about the band's recording process, Gilbert said that they "wrote the EP in a basement when we had never played shows and we were just kids trying to write metal.
With a changing style, Household decided to stick to the original schedule of the album, announcing on Facebook on March 24[23] that they were entering the studio with producer and Defeater guitarist, Jay Maas, to begin recording their debut LP, Time Spent.
"[14] "It was hard, and I wouldn't say I've totally figured out the new way," Gilbert told New Noise Magazine on November 9, 2015, shortly after the album's release.
At the premiere of "Undertow", Alt Press wrote that the single and the Time Spent formula is "one of unpredictability that blends several genres and styles with a cohesive sleekness," saying that "[r]aw hardcore elements meet emo and pop-punk with a little bit of math rock thrown in for good measure.
[6] Time Spent is considered by many as Household's break out release, spanning an impressive range of styles and bearing witness to many layers of influence, "def[ing] heavy music's current status quo by succinctly covering a vast array of ground.
[6][29][30][31] PureVolume called Household "one of the best new bands to come from the Twin Cities" on the day of Time Spent's release, saying their "bonecrushing guitar riffs and pulsating drumming offer a terrific blend of hardcore and melodic punk.
[32] Substream Magazine calls Time Spent a "huge leap forward for the band, with heartfelt lyrics atop winding melodies and clever arrangements.
[29] The Antidote Radio called Household's influence on Time Spent "varied and deep" with Gilbert's "powerful singing voice holding it all together.
"[29] Alt Press pointed to a sound that weaves together "robust, hardcore-induced riffage to quaint, raw melodies" which "impresses in unexpected-yet-inviting ways.
"[6] This blend of style makes Time Spent an "incredibly brave and confident full-length that jumps around between sounds and scenes with wild abandon yet feels cohesive throughout,"[31] not simply shallowly touching on numerous genres, but successfully cultivating each style in such a way that Sean Gonzales described as the "amalgamation of the last ten years of hardcore music and its subgenres," saying that it "fuses about every element of hardcore into 13 songs.
[6] Lambgoat called their sound a "passionate blend of progressive punk with hardcore aggression, filling the sonic gaps between bands like Touché Amore, Turnstile, and Such Gold.
"[9] On March 14, 2017, Household premiered "Distant Truth (Part 1)", a track from the forthcoming split with then Blood & Ink labelmates Infinite Me.
[37] Their label at the time, Blood & Ink Records, billed the split as the band "stepping away from their melodic-punk roots and into the burgeoning realm of indie-coated emo.
New Noise Magazine praised Household's side of the split, describing their three songs as "driving and punchy, saying that "their throwback emo/post-hardcore is as emotionally heavy as it musically engaging," commending the raw vocals.
[39] Mind Equals Blown went on to say that both Household and Infinite Me "showcase immense progressions and immersive sounds" on the split, "building in beautiful ways— and that's a good sign for the future of emo.
[43] An official press release via Lambgoat reports that while "the urgency and sincerity of the raw and visceral post-hardcore they began life making remains, Everything A River Should Be is a collection of dense, dark and brooding songs full of a tense, glowering atmosphere.
[45][non-primary source needed] After a tour supporting Senses Fail and Everything A River Should Be, Household went through a quiet period with few updates.