"Phil's really good at [lyrics], Several songs address Katrina's aftermath and how life changes on you, man.

The album was also released on LP, and in a special edition digipak featuring a bonus track and an extended booklet.

He commended "Nothing in Return (Walk Away)" to be a "slow, massive nine-minute closer is a supremely commanding emotional climax built on a dominant back-and-forth drum pattern, astral noodling, and impassioned vocals, in an undeniable display of the band members' combined talents.

"[7] Don Kaye at Blabbermouth rated it 6.5/10 stars, and opined "the group is just not playing or writing at the top of its game here", as well as "many of the songs on 'III' are drawn-out and unmemorable, consisting mainly of one or two riffs repeated over and over while Anselmo's vocals cascade and echo on top.

However, he noted there were flashes of the "old Down", referencing guitar work on "In the Thrall of It All", while saving his biggest praise for "Nothing in Return" as "the mournful, massive feel of some of the band's best early numbers and ends the album on a majestic note.

"[8] Vince Neilstein of MetalSucks rated it 3.5 out of 5 horns, echoing the mixed opinion, writing it "...isn't a spectacular album that is going to change the face of metal and save the day.