Entertainment.ie reviewer Andrew Lynch wrote Meltdown is "by far the heaviest-sounding album they've made to date, sometimes a bit too heavy for Tim Wheeler's slightly weedy voice". He added, "for all the bulldozer riffs and ferocious guitar solos on display here, the superb melodies prove that they're still just a great pop band at heart". Mikael Wood of The Boston Phoenix said the band "punch up the guitars and drums until they threaten to drown out Wheeler’s voice altogether, and the thick, chewy distortion is a return to the days of Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins". Pitchfork contributor Jason Crock noted while the album "rock[s] harder, and with more snarl" than the band's past works, they "still can't help but reveal their melodic sweet tooth". PopMatters Adrien Begrand said the album is "slightly more consistent" than the band's previous one, highlighting Hatherley's talents as a guitarist and her vocals. The Guardian writer Steve Pill said the album is "a festival set list in waiting ... this may be the first rock album of the year you can sing in the shower and make a better hash of". Kaj Roth of Melodic wrote the band "cranked up the volume to 11 and then just rocked", and called it one of the better albums of the year as well as "one of the most fun to listen to".
