New Jersey death metal outfit OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS have released a new music video for “Illuminating In Pain,” a track from their latest EP, Nexus, available now through Bleeding Art Collective. The video premiered through Slam Worldwide, continuing the band’s promotion of their six-track release.
Combining elements of technical death metal, deathcore, and melodic influences, OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS have developed a sound built around down-tuned guitars, intricate rhythmic arrangements, aggressive vocals, and heavy breakdowns. Their latest material also incorporates atmospheric and symphonic elements that connect with the band’s earlier recordings.
Speaking about “Illuminating In Pain,” the band explained:
“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.”
The song highlights drummer Kedwin Ramirez’s contribution to the band’s songwriting, incorporating musical ideas he had been developing before the recording of Nexus. Its symphonic approach also revisits elements of OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS‘ earlier material while maintaining the aggressive characteristics of their current sound.
The new video follows the previously released “Doomed” and the lyric video for “Ash Hoarder.” The former has accumulated more than 129,000 views on Slam Worldwide, according to the band’s announcement.
Nexus continues the band’s musical evolution
The six-track EP follows the band’s 2022 debut album, Unrecognizable, and subsequent single “Helminth.” Drawing from European melodic death metal, New York death metal, and modern deathcore, OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS combine contrasting musical influences with intricate guitar patterns, rhythmic shifts, and melodic passages.
The band began introducing material from Nexus in 2025 with the release of the singles “Nexus” and “Doomed.” These tracks established the direction of the EP, balancing aggressive instrumentation with atmospheric sections and groove-oriented arrangements.
Nexus was mixed and mastered by Dave Ricco of FACE YOURSELF and is available digitally through Bleeding Art Collective.
Nexus EP Tracklist
- Nexus
- Doomed
- Imminent Incursion
- Ash Hoarder
- A Breath To Conquer The World
- Illuminating In Pain
OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS lineup
- Zachary Howard: Vocals
- Kedwin Ramirez: Drums
- Kevin Kim: Guitar
With Nexus, OCEAN OF ILLUSIONS continue developing the combination of extreme metal influences introduced on Unrecognizable, incorporating symphonic textures alongside their established emphasis on technical arrangements and heavy breakdowns.
The official video for “Illuminating In Pain” is available now through Slam Worldwide.
Watch “Illuminating In Pain”:
Nexus is available digitally through Bleeding Art Collective.