 Max Qayyum of Punknews.org disagreed with this view, and said "The Black Market" was the greatest departure from the band's original sound, and that it had a distinct rock sound when compared to the band's previous material.The album's lyrics are thematically introspective, and often focus on dark subject matter.This is reflected in the album's title, which was inspired by the "marketplace of emotions" McIlrath had to sift through to write the lyrics.