Cruel Guards is the third studio album by Australian indie rock band, The Panics.

The album debuted and peaked at number 18 on the ARIA Charts and was certified gold in 2008.

Greenberg continued "The band tells their stories, touching on the grey areas of pop, alluding to U2 in the rhythm guitar for a moment in 'Live Without'.

They touch on darker beach songs in 'Confess', they evoke contemporary Bob Dylan recordings in 'Sundowner' with an almost weary, dim delivery but a grandiose chorus movement.

The album defies a clear definition other than 'adult contemporary' but it's attractive, it's catchy, and it's exploratory all at once.