🎶 Akira Yamaoka - “Terror in the Depths of the Fog”

The most subtle of nuances.

Resident Evil is a pretty decent part of my adolescence. The original 5 games—(if you count Resident Evil: Zero and Code: Veronica, which I happily do)—are staples of any serious survival horror collection. The fact that they got the remake treatment a few years back is further proof that newer generations still crave those classic storylines—because they were so original. After my good friend first showed me the second installment at a sleepover about 25 years ago, I was hooked. I also thought that I’d seen all there was to see in the world of survival horror. Then…, Silent Hill appeared out of nowhere.

(Side Note #1: Before I go any further, let me just state that in the RE v SH debate, I will always side with RE overall for its sheer influence and vivid lore. But if we’re talking purely on what’s scary as hell? There really is no debate; SH wins hands down. Maybe it’s the supernatural angle, or the absolute dread and hopelessness one feels while trying to make sense of the fog-laden town, but one thing’s for sure: what it does, it does really, really well. It also helps that the original film adaption puts the entire RE film series to shame. So there’s that, too.)

I still remember renting the first game for the original PlayStation. I started walking down a haze-filled street, the radio attached to my character’s coat started up with fuzzy static, and a dozen little creatures came running out to end my very short, very terrifying journey. It was Game Over. Literally. Needless to say, I never played it again. Then…, just like Capcom learned from their flagship title, Konami came out with the much anticipated, ridiculously upgraded, and universally praised sequel: Silent Hill 2. Everything was better—the storyline, the oppressive environments, the overall atmosphere. But what struck me most? The music. Akira Yamaoka is a legendary name in the gaming industry. And if it’s not…, it should be. What he did with simple synths on this post’s song is simply inspired.

(Side Note #2: Though filled with creepy nuances throughout multiple games, I should still admit that none of the SH soundtracks feel more “at home” than RE’s Save Room songs. Those are indeed timeless in and of themselves.)

And so, just like the classic RE titles, Silent Hill 2 has been remade from the ground up and is being released this October. I’ve seen the other SH games. They are good. But SH2 is great. It’s no surprise then, that the mechanics of the remake look absolutely beautiful. And while I haven’t heard any of the new music just yet, if this year’s 82-song soundtrack for Silent Hill: The Short Message is any clue of what’s to come, I’m sure Yamaoka will return in classic form.

Of course, with the remake, a film adaption is also in the works. By bringing back the original director, Return to Silent Hill is sure to keep a number of fans awake for many nights on end once it hits theaters at some point in the near future.

(Side Note #3: Akira Yamaoka also contributed to the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime’s soundtrack. Yet another game that I’m currently obsessed with and will surely cover in a future post. It really is a small world after all.)