The album was recorded with, and co-produced by, Mark Freegard at Waterfront Studios in Hoboken, New Jersey.[1] According to Madder Rose guitarist Billy Cote, the band recorded Panic On just after they had finished touring, and had only ten days to prepare for the recording sessions. He has also said that it was very easy to record the album's songs.[2] After the album was recorded, the band's bassist, Matt Verta-Ray, left the band, whereupon they had five weeks to choose a new one; they settled on Chris Giammalvo from Eve's Plum.[2]
Among the many critics who reviewed Panic On favorably was Rolling Stone's Kara Manning, who wrote that it "beautifully blends poetry and mayhem" and gave it 4 out of 5 stars.[7]Robert Christgau, however, was less complimentary, awarding the album a "neither", which, according to him, denotes an album that "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't."[5]