Emo sound back with Panic!'s exclamation

Panic! At the Disco is going back to its old tricks with “Vices & Virtues.” It is ditching the most recent classic rock sound and adding the signature exclamation point back on its name.  

Although the album’s lyrics are a little disappointing, it has a lot going for it — stirring strings, crunchy guitars and blaring horns that all work to make up the emo riffs with a little goth and a lot of theater.

The album starts out strong with “The Ballad of Mona Lisa,” with its active guitar riffs and strong drum beats that create a little bit of a rock sound. “Trade Mistakes” is a little sentimental track that turns up the emotional appeal of the album without losing control.  

The album’s closer, “Nearly Witches,” however, has the most variety. It begins almost trancelike, but the finale brings back the familiar strong guitar riffs dominating the rest of the album.

Even though the lyrics on “Vices & Virtues” are a little more straightforward, the band will probably be able to win back the fans it had six years ago.