If you aren’t paying too much attention, “Don’t Let the Light Go Out” is just another smitten love song with an ‘80s tinge. Even the chorus, where he shrugs off the societal expectations with bombastic group vocals, is either generic, “ We are the six-string queens” or bafflingly cringeworthy “ We are the new Dead Kennedys”. The eccentricity is in service of lore, and not particularly interesting lore at that. For such a grandiose chorus on “Star Spangled Banger,” his “The Boys are Back in Town”-style verses reminisce about getting lip piercings and low GPAs in the early days of his career. The caveat to all of these theatrics is Urie himself, or at least his past self. Not only is it an off-the-wall rock opera, but framing it through the eyes of a villainous troll makes the massive scale of the track hilariously absurd. But later in the record, he mocks those same haters on the baroque epic “Sad Clown,” singing “ I hit the spacebar, I cannot play guitar/ They give me bottles, but it’s never enough.” Despite the conflicting attitudes, “Sad Clown” is one Viva Las Vengeance’s most exciting tracks with Queen-style chorus vocals singing “ Vincero” (I will win).

On the opening title track, Urie posits “living the dream” as kicking his feet up and lighting a blunt, rendering him indifferent to the hate. The theatercore that made the band megastars is alive and well sans teen angst, although Urie isn’t above indulging in immature coping mechanisms. The sad irony of it all? If Viva Las Vengeance were released 15 years ago, Panic! fans would’ve eaten it up. This time around, he’s throwing it way back, recording the entire album to an 8-track while playing musical dress-up as his favorite ‘70s and ‘80s rock icons. Long-gone is the overblown modern production vying for radio play. Even if it isn’t Urie’s most iconic work, there’s no doubt that Viva Las Vengeance is a remarkable step up from Pray for the Wicked. With this, one has to wonder: where was all this vitriol with his last album, Pray for the Wicked? Was that album not his most cancelable offense? And yet, the album with the Pete Buttigieg campaign anthem was certified platinum while this newest album drops with a dud. Perception of Panic! At the Disco’s frontman, Brendon Urie, has been souring for years, but it seems that Viva Las Vengeance might be the last straw for the band’s die-hard fans.

Panic at the disco discography kat.cr