"Rainier Fog" also debuted at No. 3 in Switzerland, No. 8 in Germany, No. 9 in the UK (the band's first top 10 in the UK), topping UK's Rock & Metal Albums chart, No. 7 in Finland, No. 11 in Canada, No. 16 in Japan and the Netherlands, No. 19 in Belgium and Sweden, No. 21 in France, and No. 29 in Italy. "The One You Know" spent 17 weeks on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and peaked at No. 9. The song also reached No. 2 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, No. 10 on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart, No. 27 on the Rock Airplay chart, and No. 36 on the Hot Rock Songs chart. "Never Fade" peaked at No. 10 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and "Rainier Fog" peaked at No. 20. For "Revolver" magazine, "Rainier Fog" "delivers something for old and new fans alike, and leaves listeners with a feeling of great anticipation, and optimism, about what the future holds for the Seattle band." "Metal Hammer" said that "each track showcases masterful songwriting and inspired lyricism. "Rainier Fog" sees the band breathing new life into their signature sound, with a diverse and deeply emotional collection that history will surely view as a career-defining statement." The magazine also included the album on its list of the 50 best albums of 2018, ranked at No. 25. For "Billboard", "Cantrell's increased vocal presence and his tandem vocals with DuVall have made this "mark two" version of Alice such a vital force in the thinning field of hard rock acts on modern radio." "Loudwire" wrote that "Rainier Fog" might be the finest album from Alice in Chains' current lineup, and that "Cantrell and DuVall have become such a good vocal team, it's sometimes difficult to determine where one voice ends and the other begins (this has always been the case with AiC and is why Cantrell is somewhat under-appreciated as a lead vocalist)." Joe Smith-Engelhardt from "Exclaim!" praised the album, saying, "The band are much more than a simple grunge band these days, and their use of doom and sludge elements has come to be the best aspect of their sound." Pitchfork Media contributor Robert Ham rated the album 5.7/10, writing that "recapturing their heyday was always going to be an impossible feat", and that even though William DuVall and Mike Inez are respectively effective replacements for Layne Staley and Mike Starr, "these new members’ styles have effectively turned Alice in Chains into a different band."