Into the Unknown proved to be the band's most controversial release; despite favorable reviews from music critics, it was a commercial failure, and was characterized as a "misstep" by guitarist Brett Gurewitz.

(1982), the members of Bad Religion noticed a shift in the mood of people involved in the punk rock scene in Southern California.

[10] Bassist Jay Bentley was outraged at vocalist Greg Graffin's over-usage of a Roland Juno-60 synthesizer that he quit the band when they were partway through recording the first track of the sessions.

[9] Drummer Pete Finestone then left to study in England; his role was filled by Davy Goldman, while Bentley's was taken by Paul Dedona.

[4][11] Thompson described the album's sound as Graffin's "auteur keyboards colliding punk and proto-synthpop, before sailing off into distinctly softer, rockier pastures and prescient soaring harmonies.

[9] Tim Yohannan, founder of punk zine Maximumrocknroll, called the album "slickly produced early ’70s wimp rock" and said that "After playing it, I hurled it out the window, into the unknown.

"[19] In a positive review of the album, The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said, "I find myself moved by its anthemic ambition--and achievement.

"[11] John Dougan of AllMusic says that Into the Unknown is "a bit off-putting at first blush, mainly because the tempos are slower and more deliberate, and because of the use of swirling organs and pianos", while he calls it a "terrific record that was perhaps more daring than anyone realized at the time of its release.