the weary & the wise - modus fire album review
- Kaylah Chilcott
- Aug 26, 2025
- 5 min read
If you like the eclectic sounds of bands like THANK YOU SCIENTIST and the darker side of CLOSURE IN MOSCOW’s FIRST TEMPLE, Sydney rockers MODUS FIRE might be right up your alley. They hit the studio in July to bring us their second full length album, THE WEARY & THE WISE.
If you’ve never listened to any kind of ska-punk or avant garde kinds of music, you’ll likely find MODUS FIRE to be initially confronting, as you wouldn’t usually pair a brass section with electric guitars, heavy bass and drums. Maybe you’d expect the heavier side of their music to relent to more classical playing, but their composition is so flawless, if you pulled the horns all together you’d completely erase the essence of what makes MODUS FIRE amazing.
Though a key component to tie together their entire sound, opening track ‘EVIL GENIUSES’ opens the album up brightly, humorous lyrics woven through with bright and powerful brass instruments. I do feel this song is a bit of a contrast from the rest of the album, and a precursor for something a little more serious to come, and I think it lulls you into a false sense of security.
Their lead single, ‘TOXICITY’ takes on a heavy bass riff, with a heavy ska vibe and a super catchy chorus. They walk you down a bit at the bridge with repeated ‘Bring it back, remedy that’ before dragging you back to their heavy punk-prog fusion wall with slightly sharper vocals. This track is definitely reminiscent of something you might find on STRANGER HEADS PREVAIL by THANK YOU SCIENTIST, and was a wicked choice for a lead single (also probably my favourite song off the album, can't lie).
‘F.U.’ definitely presents a more enraged side to MODUS FIRE, bringing a grim sound to the table. The riffs sit low and demanding, across the bridge they drop away to drum fills with heavily EQ’d and effected vocals. ‘F.U’ provides some contrast leading into the next track ‘CONCERNTRATE’, which is a cover of Steph Grace, a singer/songwriter who is vocalist Tom FISHER’s sister. It is 100% the bop on the album, grooving riffs followed by some stilted ones, all tied together with catchy, rhyming lyrics and an upbeat chorus. It is arguably the most radio ready and accessible of the songs on the album, but doesn’t sacrifice any of the charm of MODUS FIRE.
‘THROW ALL YOUR SHIT IN A LAKE’ is the perfect mid-album track. It is fun, it is friendly, very much an intermission style song! With nothing untoward! It utilises FISHER’s vocals to the full extent and showcases how dynamic his range is, and is best enjoyed during the album start to finish.
One of our journalists at THE HOT AND HEAVY SHOW, Zara, previously reviewed OVERREACTED when it released and said
Just as you think 'ah, a classic rock anthem' you're introduced to clean vocals set against fast-paced drums, rhythmic bass guitar and lively brass instruments. It's a smorgasbord of sounds, but it comes together perfectly. The vocal harmonies come in and carry us through a very catchy chorus.
you can read the rest of her single review here!!
The edge and taste of everything we've heard on the album so far come together in ‘THE EYES OF OBERON’, "a retelling of 13th-century French Epic “Huon de Bordeaux”". The guitars sometimes take a bluesy twang, and remind me of 70s and 80s classic rock, matched with powerful vocals, and grooving bass and drum sections.
FISHER was interviewed by Zara, and mentioned that he is “the WEARY and the wise” as he's been in multiple bands across his 25 years of experience, and the rest of the album is a little more morose paints it clearly. ‘SMOKE ALL THE PROFITS’ is a cover of singer/songwriter Georgie Fisher, sister to TOM, a song of seeking purpose. The original is very earthy, so MODUS FIRE’s cover embodies an entirely different energy, while maintaining some of the pace it breathes new life into it. It’s followed by ‘DOUSE’, which has a slow measure and expanses of refined components for a sadder, or even fatigued, feeling. It has a few moments of horns which make it sound a bit more upbeat, but I can’t seem to shake a more mournful feeling. The Line "It's time to take your medicine" keeps dragging me back for a relisten.
MODUS FIRE continues to double down on that sensation with ‘REMEMBER WHEN’, hollowed out at times to only key elements, like vocals, bass and drums, to carry the torch for emotion. Initially you’d think it was going to be the most melancholic song on the album, but that will be very quickly swept aside. ‘SANDCASTLE’ opens with a swathe of only guitar and vocals in the beginning, picked up by drums and bass for the chorus for lines like “WHY SHOULD I BUILD ANYTHING MORE”. By thinking of yourself from an outside perspective, to be built on by the sands of time, the song picks up briefly towards the middle and end to instill feelings of hope and optimism to close out THE WEARY & THE WISE.
While MODUS FIRE might be spicy at times for average prog, ska-punk or alternative rock fans, the way they diverge from more traditional sounding acts keeps them interesting and gives them a lot of purpose in how they execute their music. You can bounce, you can cry, and you can sing to THE WEARY &THE WISE.
Bands with brass components will always be super interesting, as strings are super common across many genres, brass is a bit more specific and requires the right kind of treatment to get them to work within the soundscape. It takes a lot for a band to consistently manage to pull them off and god damn, MODUS FIRE do it well.
I did feel the latter end of the album tapered away a little, and while there were pockets of fire and light from the first half of the album, I do think a quick rearrange of track order would have brought a little more balance. Though, I can’t fault them for that - THE WEARY & THE WISE follows a rise then gradual fall that doesn’t make any changes in mood or pace feel like a left hand turn, leaving it to ultimately be a fantastic album. Each time I listen to it and become more familiar with the material, I find something new to love.
Chase up modus fire on their socials to see when they're lighting up a town near you!
