Remembering the Brilliant Vocal Tracks of the Silent Hill Series
I have many fond memories when it comes to the Silent Hill series.
The original Silent Hill was the first game to actually genuinely scare me. Honestly, it really did. Then, a couple years later, Silent Hill 2‘s story left me speechless. Silent Hill 3 scared me silly again and also disgusted me. And… I could go on and on.
Revisiting those games more recently, however, has done some damage to my memories of them. I hate to say it, but now they’re a little dated. Now I try to avoid playing them so that they remain as great in my mind as when I played them during their heyday. But there is one aspect of the series that I can still enjoy, one that evokes happy memories despite its generally dark nature: its music.
Akira Yamaoka composed the music for all of the Silent Hill games that are worth the time of day, and to describe his work with just one word, “compelling” comes to mind. The original Silent Hill soundtrack is one of the most harrowing things you can listen to. It’s mostly a cacophony of noise that unsettles you to the very core yet somehow also has rhythm. It’s just haunting. The music of Silent Hill 2 is equally as good, but different. It’s more musical, and there are tracks that have clear heavy rock and classical influences. It’s not as oppressive, but it still roots you to your seat.
As good as the music from the first two Silent Hill games is though, I don’t find myself listening to either games’ soundtrack. What I do listen to on a regular basis though, are the series’ vocal tracks, the first of which was introduced in Silent Hill 3.
Silent Hill 3
Akira Yamaoka primarily worked with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn – an american actress and singer-songwriter – when creating vocal tracks for the Silent Hill series. And I have to say, the combination of his heavy riffs with Mary’s versatile voice was inspired. It isn’t my favourite, but listen to You’re Not Here, the intro track to Silent Hill 3 that’s also used in the credits of the Silent Hill movie.
When that track played, I payed attention. Every time I booted Silent Hill 3 up I’d let the intro play in its entirety. I just had to. But You’re Not Here was undoubtedly bettered by I Want Love, which you can also listen to below.
The most interesting vocal track on the Silent Hill 3 soundtrack, however, didn’t include Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. With lyrics written by and performed by Interlace, Rain of Brass Petal – Three Voices Edit is simply weird but also mesmerising.
Silent Hill 4
Just a year after Silent Hill 3 came Silent Hill 4: The Room, and thankfully Akira Yamaoka worked with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn again. Room of Angel was one of the vocal tracks created for Silent Hill 4: The Room, and it is without a doubt one of the most sombre tracks I have ever heard. Check it out.
Silent Hill Zero/Origins
There were other notable vocal tracks on the Silent Hill 3 soundtrack but let’s move onto the Silent Hill Zero/Origins soundtrack that had some great tracks despite not being a great game. Shot Down in Flames is one of my favourites.
In fact, all the vocal tracks from Silent Hill Zero/Origins are great. Here are the remainder.
https://soundcloud.com/milanrecords/akira-yamoaka-feat-mary
Silent Hill – Homecoming
After Silent Hill Zero/Origins came Silent Hill – Homecoming and, surprise surprise, Akira Yamaoka and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn worked together again. One More Soul to the Call was probably the best track they made together for that soundtrack.
https://soundcloud.com/letsplay-ganning1990/silent-hill-homecoming-main-theme-one-more-soul-to-the-call
Silent Hill – Shattered Memories
The last time Akira Yamaoka and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn worked together on a Silent Hill soundtrack was for Silent Hill – Shattered Memories. A re-imagining of the first game, it featured this brilliant cover of Always on My Mind, sung by a long list of artists since 1970 including Elvis Presley and The Pet Shop Boys.
Honestly, the tracks that Akira Yamaoka and Mary Elizabeth McGlyn created together for the Shattered Memories soundtrack might have been their best. Check out these wonders.
https://soundcloud.com/milanrecords/akira-yamaoka-feat-mary-1
And so there you have it. A walk down Silent Hill memory lane. Just listening to these tracks reminds me of the time spent playing the Silent Hill games all those years ago. And the best thing is I can listen to them without ruining my fond memories of the series. You know I really miss Silent Hill, but as long as I’ve these tracks to listen to, I’ll live.
A lot of these tracks, if not all, are available on Spotify, so if you like them listen to them on there to give the creators at least a tiny bit of compensation for their work. The soundtracks for Silent Hill – Homecoming, Zero/Origins, and Shattered Memories are available on Google Play, too, so buy them there.
