Portland-via-Baltimore crust collective Nux Vomica are a strange beast. Their sound draws from a variety of genres -- elements of crust punk, melodic death metal, black metal, doom and post-rock can are swirled together carefully, artfully and, at times, with reckless abandon. Zacrilege told Noisecreep that they've "been described as 'post d-beat,' 'art crust' and 'the Yes of crust.' We would probably say something like 'atmospheric crust/metal.' But if we were talking to some normal at the rest stop, we'd say we sound like Slayer."

The band's metallic roots shine brightly through the suffocating darkness and crushing ambiance on their latest record, 2009's 'Asleep in the Ashes' (Aborted Society Records). Vintage Swedish melodeath gallops through swaths of black metal and d-beaten crust and hints of, yes, even thrash, can be found within the desolate wasteland 'Asleep in the Ashes' creates. 'Seasons in the Abyss,' this is not, but Nux Vomica had never planned to adhere to genre tags or rigid sonic guidelines.

"Back in Baltimore three of us used to be in a band called Wake Up on Fire, which was a very atmospheric, heavy, slower band. We started Nux in 2003 to play more straightforward d-beat punk and melodic metal. When Wake Up on Fire broke up in 2005, Nux Vomica moved to Portland, had some lineup changes and started mixing in a lot of other elements and influences into our sound," the drummer explained. "We all listen to a huge variety of genres of music -- punk, metal, hip hop, indie, experimental, new wave, early country and folk; seriously you name it and someone in our band probably likes it to some degree. It's impossible to quantify how it all influences us. As for what keeps us going, it's the music. We all need to make music."

One standout characteristic of the album is its use of samples. These aren't your typical horror or action movies quotes, either. Nux chose to draw from a source far more sinister to augment their dark hymns.

"The samples on 'Discussants' are from talk radio stations. The samples on 'Corpses with Egos' are from the movie 'Jesus Camp,' which is a crazy f---ed up movie about religious freaks sending their kids to Christian camps," Zacrilege revealed. "It's mind blowing and scary. You should watch it if you haven't."

More From Noisecreep