Silent Hill’s dedicated composer, Akira Yamaoka, recently confessed that he has always wanted to create music for Capcom’s Resident Evil. Read on to learn more about Yamaoka’s thoughts on composing and why he got into music.
Silent Hill’s Akira Yamaoka’s Dream Game Franchise Is Resident Evil
Putting the Rivalry to Rest Once and for All
Silent Hill composer and sound director Akira Yamaoka expressed his desire to work on "rival" survival-horror hit series Resident Evil in an interview with Dark Switch developer, Cyber Temple. Yamaoka recently lent his musical expertise to the Dark Switch soundtrack, and as part of their promotional run leading up to the game’s release in October 2025, they uploaded an interview with Yamaoka wherein they talked about his professional history as a musician and his composition process.
Akira Yamaoka has served as composer and music director for games like Slitterhead, Lollipop Chainsaw, and Shadows of the Damned , but he is best known for his work on Silent Hill. Though the series already has its own distinct tone and aesthetic, the Silent Hill games were also shaped by Yamaoka’s signature dark ambient sound, trip-hop influences, his creative use of samples, and even the grungy, industrial riffs that were prevalent in the late-90s and early-2000s alt-rock scene.
In an old interview with Daniel Kalabakov for Swedish music website Spelmusik, Yamaoka said that he himself volunteered to take part in the game's conception, knowing that only he could create the sound Silent Hill needed.
"Even from the time of concept planning, I thought it was just myself who was capable of doing this project. I myself raised my hand first to get selected."
It is a widely held belief that Silent Hill was Konami’s more cerebral response to the action-packed pioneer of the survival-horror genre by Capcom, which is why it might be fair to assume that an artist so intrinsically tied to Silent Hill wouldn't be interested in working on a game from "the other side." But many think that the supposed rivalry is better left in the 90s, back when there weren’t many successful survival-horror titles to begin with.
Yamaoka’s Musical Background
The reason Yamaoka gave was simple: he loved playing Resident Evil. And before he found a home in Silent Hill, he was already a fan of "games and music in general." Back in 2007, he told Game Developer that he essentially taught himself how to make music after experimenting on his computer. And it was only after discovering his affinity for creating music that he abandoned his job as a designer to work on video games.
Yamaoka has credited many artists as inspirations for his music. In past interviews, he identified Depeche Mode, Metallica, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and, of course, Angelo Badalamenti, composer for the late David Lynch's Jungian masterpiece, Twin Peaks. This time, Yamaoka pointed to Ennio Morricone, an Italian composer for many iconic Westerns such as The Dollars Trilogy and Once Upon a Time in America.
Yamaoka stated that he admired Morricone for his ability to blend his style without stepping over the identities of the films he worked on. His view on Moriconne's work shaped his approach to composing music, which can be seen through his strategy for effective game music composition and from the fact that his music has become an invaluable part of the Silent Hill experience.
"I think it is important to clarify to yourself the path that the game is trying to take," he told Cyber Temple, "and what kind of audiences are being targeted. Then the music should be composed based on those findings."
Resounding Approval From Fans
Fans who have caught wind of Yamaoka’s interview with Cyber Temple responded to the news with excitement, proving that the Silent Hill-Resident Evil rivalry is a thing of the past. Resident Evil players also claimed that they have been desperate to hear more engaging music from the remakes, while others gushed over the thought of hearing Yamaoka’s take on a Resident Evil save room theme.
Regardless of whether or not Yamaoka will ever make music for Resident Evil, fans have shown that his expertise and creative vision would be a welcome addition to the franchise.
Source:
Youtube: DarkSwitch - Interview with composer - Akira Yamaoka
Heaven's Night: An Interview With Akira Yamaoka
Spelmusik Interview with Akira Yamaoka
Reddit: Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka wants to work on Resident Evil, the series’ biggest rival
Reddit: I was curious where the comparison of resident evil and sh being rivals came from
