[3] The album showcases a further development on Hood's minimal sound, as well as departure from his collaborations with Underground Resistance.

"[5] AllMusic's John Bush stated that the record "defines his [Hood's] minimalist manifesto, with a conventional four-four beat underpinning series of skeletal machine effects.

"[6] Jake Cole of Spectrum Culture labeled the album as "perhaps the definitive moment of his [Hood's] career" and "watershed establishment of an electronic music so bare that it has ironically left enough space to explore, making it a still relevant subgenre."

Cole also noted that "the sharper sonic clarity [of the record] only deepens one’s appreciation for the subtle density of Hood’s minimal sound.

"[3] Resident Advisor's Lee Smith described Internal Empire as "truly the first techno record that deserved to be called 'minimal'.