Critical reception[edit]

Classic Rock Review complimented the instrumentation and lyrics of "Here Comes the Flood" and said that Dick Wagner’s lead guitar work cemented the song as an effective album closer.^[9] Stewart Mason of AllMusic wrote that the song's lyrics "are the most depressing and paranoid ones on this relatively upbeat album, foreshadowing the increasing darkness of the next two albums, this is also the only song on the album that explicitly sounds like Genesis, right down to Steve Hunter's Steve Hackett-like guitar solos and the orchestral arrangement."^[10] NME remarked that the song "ended the album in triumphant style", and further noted the song's "doomy strings" and "searing guitars" that bolstered Gabriel's vocals.^[11]


Alan Jones of Melody Maker thought that the acoustic guitars and orchestration aptly underpinned the conviction in Gabriel's vocal delivery, adding that the lyrics were articulate enough to convey a sense of hope in enduring an apocalyptic future.^[12] They further stated that the lyrics surrounding apocalypticism were unpretentious and demonstrated admirable restraint.^[13] Winnipeg Free Press identified "Here Comes the Flood" as "one of several splendid songs with hit-single possibilities."^[14] Uncut believed that "Here Comes the Flood" sounded "a little overcooked" in its studio form, but that Gabriel would later effectively incorporate the song into his live performances.^[15]