The album was reissued in 2008 as a digipak version, featuring four remixes of the "Rude Awakening" single and a new booklet.

Continuing from the developments on 1994's Cleansing, Rude Awakening sees a further pursuit of the industrial style.

Following the departure of keyboardist John Bechdel in 1995, electronic contributions would be managed by Charlie Clouser of Nine Inch Nails.

The album's opener, "Controller", contains an identical riff to the song "Doomsayer" by Argyle Park.

Reviewing the title track, Billboard wrote that the single's "assaulting, deviant style" shows why Prong is popular.