The video for OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS’ ‘Illuminating In Pain’ is now playing at Slam Worldwide, bringing the closing track from Nexus into the band’s latest video announcement. The New Jersey death metal trio’s EP is available digitally through Bleeding Art Collective.
For OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS, the song connects drummer Kedwin Ramirez’s contribution with a symphonic approach heard on earlier releases. Its narrative leaves the identity of an approaching threat unresolved.
The band comments: “A message from a world beyond ours, a warning of something wicked to come. Has the World Eater returned or is it something completely different? This song is a track [drummer] Kedwin [Ramirez] has had locked away for a bit and this EP was the best time to display his style. This track is also similar to our symphonic style you could hear on our earlier releases.”
‘Illuminating In Pain’ follows the previously released ‘Doomed’ video and ‘Ash Hoarder’ lyric video. The announcement reports that ‘Doomed’ had reached 129K views on Slam Worldwide; both ‘Doomed’ and the ‘Nexus’ single were released in 2025.
Dave Ricco of Face Yourself mixed and mastered Nexus. The six-track EP places ‘Illuminating In Pain’ after ‘A Breath To Conquer The World.’
- Nexus
- Doomed
- Imminent Incursion
- Ash Hoarder
- A Breath To Conquer The World
- Illuminating In Pain
OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS’ earlier recordings include the 2022 debut album Unrecognizable and the single ‘Helminth.’ Their stated influences span European melodic death metal, djentcore and New York death metal, with layered dynamics, hooks and breakdowns forming part of their approach. The supplied announcement describes the more recent material in terms of introspection, weight and groove.
The announcement also includes critical responses to the band. Decibel Magazine describes “a dynamic mix of extreme sounds countered with moments of beauty,” alongside drop-tuned heaviness and harsh vocals. Music Scene Media calls OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS “The future of deathcore,” while Powermetal.de highlights their staccato riffs, breakdowns, hooks and execution.
OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS consists of Zachary Howard on vocals, Kedwin Ramirez on drums and Kevin Kim on guitar. The supplied promotional photograph is credited to Wesley Robin.
