The album consists of a mix of hardcore punk and melodic hardcore.[1][2] The melodic aspect is a continuation of the band's newer sound introduced on 2008's Comes from the Heart, while the traditional hardcore punk is from their older roots.[2] The album also includes spoken word samples of speeches and interviews discussing not giving up hope, a version of "This Land Is Your Land" with the lyrics rewritten to "This land is going straight to hell", and a hidden female-sung folk/country song at the end.[1]
The NewReview's Jen Rochester gave the album a 4.5 out of 5 and said "just because Stick to your Guns sing songs of hope, don't mistake The Hope Division for a cowardly, meek album. It's energy-driven, full of heart, infectious, and intent on motivating you to fight the injustice of a selfish world".[2]Alternative Press's Phil Freeman called the album a "powerful, frequently surprising third outing."[1]Beat's called the album "the sound of a band reinvigorated and inspired once again, and nothing like the generic mess of Comes from the Heart some three years ago."[4]
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