SIX STEPS FORWARD - Move Beyond Limits ! (Poland - Modern HardCore - Interview with Bart).
- Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you - your encounter with this musical universe, what appealed to you, what fascinated you and what made you want to get into music?
Hey my name is Bart, I'm a lead vocalist of SIX STEPS FORWARD Modern HC from Cracow PL - Tough question to kick things off. We all come from different backgrounds and grew up with different musics. Each of us had some experience playing in bands before. Originally, SIX STEPS FORWARD was started by a different lineup and was supposed to be happy skateboard punk with heavy, yet “happy” beatdowns. The goal was simple : blend all our musical influences into one big genre soup, seasoned with hardcore ideology.
Since day one, we’ve been evolving — from punk to hardcore, and into all things “core.” We went through some lineup struggles along the way, but by 2019 we had finally settled into the version of SSF you know today: Deny moved to guitar, Kłapouchy and Bullet jumped in on guitar and bass, and finally Picora joined us on drums.
We treat this band as a shared passion, and constantly feed each other new music — that’s what helped us shape the SSF sound. We're really close as friends, so honestly, music feels like a secondary thing sometimes… but still just as important. Our focus is on playing live and constantly writing — and that’s what pushes us to raise the bar. We’re dead sure "The Grim Verse" already set it pretty high. (I can't disagree with you there. - Ed.)
- Tell me about the band... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band?
Back in 2012, my friend Krzysiek and I moved to Kraków to continue our studies. We’d known each other for a long time and had already played together in a previous band, so we decided to start SIX STEPS FORWARD. Our drummer at the time, Misiek, invited Deny to our first rehearsal. The idea back then was to have two vocalists — but honestly, it didn’t really work out (luckily 😄).
As I mentioned earlier, the goal was to blend pop punk with heavy breakdowns. We were into bands like H2O, Comeback Kid, Four Year Strong, The Ghost Inside, early Turnstile... Quite an extensive cross-section of influences, isn’t it?
Over the years, our sound got heavier and darker — we were more frustrated and disappointed by the political climate in Poland, and the general sense of hopelessness about the future, both as a band and as human beings.
In the meantime, we went through a creative hiatus due to lineup changes. And when our friend Krzysiek (our former guitarist) tragically passed away (Oooh, sorry for your loss, mate ! - Ed.), it all added up to something heavy, dark, and deeply emotional. It’s ironic, really — considering how it all started with a pop punk idea. But yeah, I think we’ve got some stories to tell. :)
- Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
Our sound has changed over the years — from raw, aggressive riffs and brutal beatdowns (still "colored" with melody) to pure, devastating energy. It might hurt some feelings, but yeah — despite staying true to our hardcore roots, we’ve added samples and synths to enhance the sound and bring a new flavor to what people expect from hardcore. This is our modern take on HC — take it or leave it. We want listeners to know: whatever you hear on a release, you’ll get the same thing live. No sugar-coating. That’s why we rehearse at least twice a month — to give you a real performance, not just a replay of our recordings.No gimmicks. No overrated bullshit.
- Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ?
At the beginning, I was writing about youth struggles, growing up, and just making fun of everything and everyone. Over the years, I think I’ve matured and started tackling heavier topics — things like unacceptable racism, depression (3rd person perspective), low self-esteem. At some point, I began questioning everything in a more philosophical way. The lyrics became really personal. Sometimes... maybe a bit too personal. Every now and then, people reach out to say they relate to the topics we touch on — and that they’re thankful we chose to speak up about them. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a greater reward for what we do.
- About your latest release ?
In 2020, we ended our “creative hiatus” by releasing "Bomb The World". We had worked on that record for six years — and honestly, we were just sick of it.
Before it even came out, we’d already decided to drop the tuning and create the darkest EP we could… even by our own standards. We wanted to invest both time and money to finally make the best record we were capable of.
We rented a cabin in the woods (seriously) and completely cut ourselves off from the outside world to focus on writing. It went surprisingly well — it took us around 10 days to write 8 stand-alone tracks and shape them into what became "The Grim Verse". We chose to record at Heinrich House Studio with Filip Hałucha (known for his work with Behemoth and Decapitated), and had the album mixed and mastered by Alex Britt (behind Heavy//Hitter).
It took about nine months to get "The Grim Verse" exactly the way we wanted — modern in production, but still rooted in traditional live instrument tracking.
Another big step for us was finding a label willing to put it out. We signed with Upstate Records UK/EU — the European branch of Upstate Records New York, home to bands like Subzero, Leeway, Honesty, and Ballkick.
"The Grim Verse" is now available on all streaming platforms thanks to Blood Blast Distribution (the digital distro arm of Nuclear Blast). Still, we respect the roots — physical copies are available via Upstate Records and at our shows :)
Right now, we’re finishing up a new video for "Pareidolia" and "The Grim Verse". Then we’ll take a short break — and after that, we dive straight into new music.
- Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
Our craziest dream would be to share the stage with the bands that inspired us the most — like The Ghost Inside, Comeback Kid, The Acacia Strain, and others. Right now, we're aiming for festival lineups in 2026, and we’re feeling pretty optimistic about it. :)
- Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?
Everyone knows the best shows happen when the crowd gives back the same energy you leave on stage. We’re lucky to experience that pretty often — no matter how big the turnout is !
It’s hard to say which one was the best, but I’d go with DrownFest 2024 — a big stage and dozens of familiar faces in the crowd… that was something special ! As for the worst… in 2023 we played a show in Łódź (PL) for 9 people. But honestly ? It was still worth it. Respect to those 9 who showed up — they got a brutal dose of beatdown in return (The BEST and RIGHT attitude - Ed.)
The only downside was covering the costs which resulted in being broke as fuck afterwards. The diet during this tour was 100% made of hot dogs. I honestly can’t remember a time I ate that many gas station hot dogs in one weekend :D
- Next live-appearance(s) ?
This year, our calendar is totally packed with shows — and still, we had to carve out time for other band-related stuff. Not to mention personal life...
We’ve got a bunch of shows coming up as part of "The Grim Verse" Tour, where we’ll be promoting the new album.
Here’s where you can catch us:
📍 Warsaw – 26.06
📍 Kielce – 05.09
📍 Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski – 06.09
📍 Opole – 26.09
📍 Jastrzębie-Zdrój – 27.09
📍 Bristol – 14.11
📍 London – 15.11
- Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ?
That’s a tough question — over the years we’ve made a lot of friends in bands that really operate on a high level.
Instead of listing everyone, which would take ages, we’ll share a few of our favorites — and some newer discoveries worth checking out.
Our go-to crew:
🔹 Last Penance – Metalcore from Warsaw, PL
🔹 Vermintide Visions – Deathcore from Katowice, PL
🔹 Synapsa – Deathcore from Wrocław, PL
🔹 Ballkick – Hardcore from London, UK
🔹 M.O.R.O.N – Modern hardcore from somewhere near Warsaw, PL
Some recent discoveries we’re stoked on:
🔹 Serotonin Zero – Blackened hardcore from Warsaw, PL
🔹 Glass – Hardcore from Warsaw, PL
🔹 Bezdech – HC/punk from Opole, PL
I’m telling you — there are so many killer bands in Poland right now. Highly recommended — dig in! 🔥
- Last word is yours..
Dear friends, take care of yourselves — and take care of the people around you. Let music build bridges, not walls — especially in these uncertain times. Support your local scene by showing up to shows. Love life, and don’t waste your precious time on people or habits that poison you. And don’t forget to nurture your inner child. See you on the road! Rough Times thank you for having us! (Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, you kick ass ! - Ed.)
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