We’re pleased to premiere ‘Century of Sins’, Giac Taylor’s new single featuring Steve McBean of Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops, alongside a short interview about his forthcoming album ‘CHUNK’.

Taylor hadn’t met McBean when he contacted him about appearing on the record. He was a big Black Mountain fan and thought he’d ask. McBean said yes, and ended up singing on two songs.

The Romano Nervoso frontman recorded ‘CHUNK’ in just six days at Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, California, with his longtime friend Dave Catching. When we spoke with Taylor last year, he was already looking forward to the new album.

Here he talks about working with McBean, his love of Italian horror films and the dog that gave the album its name. ‘CHUNK’ is released on 5th February 2027 on Mottow Soundz | Pre-order

You’ve coined the term Giallo Stoner rock to describe your sound. How would you define it, and how much have Italian horror films influenced your musical identity?

First of all, I’ve been a huge fan of stoner rock since my teenage years, thanks to bands like Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Desert Sessions, Black Mountain and, of course, Black Sabbath.

My other passion is horror movies, especially Italian Giallo films. Being Italian, I guess that’s only natural!

So I decided to try and blend these two passions together… creating stoner rock with an atmosphere reminiscent of Dario Argento’s or Lucio Fulci’s movies.

When it comes to horror-inspired music, I’m also a big fan of Italian bands like Goblin and Calibro 35. And yes, indeed, horror movies are an integral part of this project’s influences.

You recorded ‘CHUNK’ at the legendary Rancho de la Luna studio with Dave Catching. What was the experience like, and did the desert surroundings influence the album?

I’ve had a close bond of friendship and brotherhood with Dave Catching for over 20 years. Above all, we’re friends who have a great deal of mutual respect for each other.

I’d already recorded there in the past with another band, so I knew the place very well. I decided to go back because it had been one of the greatest musical experiences of my life, and I wanted to share it with Giac Taylor’s bandmates … my best friends.

Being “in the middle of nowhere”, enjoying the whole experience and having access to Dave’s knowledge, experience and gear is not something that happens every day.

And yes, absolutely, the sunshine, the wind, the desert and the overall atmosphere of Joshua Tree definitely have an influence on the arrangements, the energy and even on you as a person.

It’s an experience I’d recommend to any musician who truly takes their craft seriously.

How did your collaboration with Steve McBean of Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops come about, and what did he bring to ‘Century of Sins’ and the album?

Being a huge Black Mountain fan, it would be dishonest not to mention their influence on the project. I knew Stephen was living in Los Angeles, so I reached out to him through social media and asked if he’d be interested in playing and singing on a few tracks. Amazingly, even though we didn’t know each other personally, he got back to me and said yes!

He chose “Century of Sins” and also sang on another track. I knew exactly what he was going to bring to the table because we have a very similar musical understanding. He added his own personal touch, which took the track to another level. It was exactly how I’d imagined it.

Your lyrics explore everything from Satanism and the apocalypse to alcoholism and alien invasions. Where does your fascination with these darker, unconventional subjects come from?

You should know that I’m a Gemini, which means I have two different personalities… one friendly and one very dark. When it comes to Giac Taylor, the dark side takes over, and that’s where I feel most comfortable.

I’m not religious, but I do believe in aliens. I’m fascinated by serial killers. I don’t admire or respect them, but I find them intriguing. It’s pretty much the same thing with mobsters.

I’m much more drawn to thrillers, dramas, weird movies and, of course, horror films than to comedies or romantic movies.

I’m attracted to dark and obscure things… which is what recently led me to read The Satanic Bible.

The album is named after Dave Catching’s dog, Chunk, who you bonded with during the recording sessions. What’s the story behind that, and does Chunk know he’s now part of rock ‘n’ roll history?

Yeah, I think Chunk has definitely figured out that he’s part of rock history! The album was originally supposed to have a different title, but as soon as we arrived at the studio, we met Chunk and quickly became best friends.

Above all, I wanted to pay tribute to Dave Catching because he was absolutely incredible throughout the recording process. He’s extremely professional, always available and, most importantly, a genuinely great human being. He’s one of the most decent and respectable people I’ve ever met in my life.

Calling the album “Dave Catching” would have been a bit too much… And since Chunk and Dave are always together, naming the album “Chunk” is pretty much the same as calling it “Dave Catching”.

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