He is best known for his work on the Silent Hill series for which he composed all the music and sound effects in all seven current games (excluding Silent Hill Play Novel for Game Boy Advance). Some of the music from the first four games was also remixed and used in the Silent Hill movie. He also played a doubly important role as producer of the third and fourth Silent Hill games (which were available for PlayStation 2/PC and PlayStation 2/Xbox/PC). His music from Silent Hill 2 was performed live in 2005 at the third Symphonic Game Music Concert in Leipzig, Germany and at the world-premiere of PLAY! A Video Game Symphony Live! on May 27, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, where Yamaoka himself accompanied the orchestra with an electric guitar. As well, Yamaoka actively composes music for Konami's Bemani line of games, particularly, the Beatmania IIDX series.
His first original, non-soundtrack album, iFUTURELIST, was released in January 2006.
Career
He joined Konami on September 21, 1993 after previously being a freelance music composer. He is most well known for his work for the Silent Hill series of video games, for which he composed all the music and sound effects in the whole series (excluding Silent Hill Play Novel for the Game Boy Advance and Esperándote in Silent Hill, composed by 村中りか (Rika Muranaka)). Since Silent Hill 3, he is playing a more important role as the series' producer, also continuing with his music composition working.
Yamaoka's sound commonly contains strong melancholy undertones and generally identifies with the dark ambient, industrial, trip-hop and rock genres. Since Silent Hill 3, he also started working in collaboration with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Joe Romersa for vocal compositions.
Much of his work from previous titles has been compiled for the 2006 Silent Hill movie adaptation, directed by Christophe Gans.
His music from Silent Hill 2 was performed live in 2005 at the third Symphonic Game Music Concert in Leipzig, Germany. Yamaoka also performed music from Silent Hill at the world-premiere of PLAY! A Video Game Symphony Live! on May 27, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, and accompanied the orchestra with an electric seven-string guitar. He also composed songs for Konami's Bemani series, which has also featured tracks from Silent Hill.
His first original album, iFUTURELIST, was released in January 2006. He also wrote the theme of 101%, the main show of the French TV channel Nolife.
On December 2, 2009, it was announced that Yamaoka was leaving his long term employer Konami.
Personal Life
Before working as a video game composer, Yamaoka initially sought a career as a designer, but instead became a musician after studying product design at Tokyo Art College.
In 1993 he joined Konami to work on the game Rocket Knight Adventures 2. When Konami began searching for a musician to compose Silent Hill's score, Yamaoka volunteered because he thought he was the only one capable of making the soundtrack.
Yamaoka stated in a 2009 interview that his favorite game creator is Suda 51 and his favorite video game is No More Heroes.
Lettre du diable
Akira Yamaoka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
À elle tu tiens pas vraiment mais t'apprécies son réconfort
T'es resté indifférent, le jour de sa mort
Après tout des filles comme elle y'en a des millions sur la Terre
T'en baise une autre, ou deux pendant qu'elle pourrit sous la terre
Des entailles dans le dos quand t'as donné ton cœur à celle
À celle qui t'avait dit qu'avec toi elle serait sincère
Derrière tous ces mots doux, se cache le visage de l'enfer
Le visage de l'enfer, se cache derrière tous ces mots doux
Elle a rien à t'offrir, avec son corps elle t'amadoue
Elle te fera souffrir, elle coupera ton cœur en deux
Elle pourrait te sourire, même pendant qu'elle te démembre
C'est un démon, c'n'est plus une femme
Elle sait très bien c'qu'elle fait non elle n'est pas instable
Elle joue avec les cœurs pour s'emparer des âmes
Avec elle dans les flammes, elle veut emmener des hommes
Il fût un temps où son cœur était pur
En cherchant son âme-sœur elle ne trouva que la luxure
Une chose est sûre, elle te blessera pour soigner ses blessures
N'ouvre pas ton cœur, ne l'montre pas laisse le dans un lieu sûr
Mais aujourd'hui, au milieu des démons t'as vu un ange
La peau claire les yeux noirs et un regard froid comme la neige
Elle t'offrît un sourire, bien trop pur pour être un piège
Pour toi elle fut, comme la lumière au milieu des orages
Elle est si belle, si pure crois la si elle te dit je t'aime
Fais lui croire, que ton âme est la même que la sienne
Fais lui croire, que c'est de sa faute si elle saigne
Fais lui croire, que c'est ta présence qui la soigne
Maintenant qu'elle est dans tes bras, il faut qu'une lame t'aiguises
Arrache son cœur de sa poitrine et puis sers toi en à ta guise
Maintenant elle peut plus partir même si elle sait que tu t'déguises
Demande lui d'prier pour toi et d'aller brûler une église
Et si jamais t'hésites, mon ami souviens toi
Quand tu voulais faire du bien et qu'on t'faisait du mal à toi
Et quand tu joues avec les cœurs, ne sois pas maladroit
Apporte moi leur âme t'auras une place auprès de moi
Mon ami, regarde autour de toi
Des millions d'hommes et d'femmes dirigés pas le son d'ma voix
Et demain, le monde sera à moi
Sois tu brûles avec eux
Sois tu brilles avec moi
Choisis moi
The lyrics to Akira Yamaoka's song "Lettre du diable" delve into a complex and dark narrative exploring themes of love, betrayal, manipulation, and ultimately, a choice between darkness and light. The song paints a vivid picture of a toxic and destructive relationship, where the singer is trapped in a cycle of deceit and emotional turmoil.
In the first verse, the singer describes a person who is affectionate towards them but is not truly held close in their heart. Despite appreciating the comfort provided by this person, the singer remains indifferent even on the day of their death, dismissing them as just one of many similar individuals in the world. The imagery of engaging in promiscuous acts while the person deteriorates underground evokes a sense of callousness and detachment, highlighting the deceptive nature of the relationship.
The following verses depict this person as a manipulative and malicious figure, likened to a demon rather than a woman. They are portrayed as using their physical allure to ensnare and bring suffering to others, symbolizing the destructive power of toxic relationships. The singer is warned against opening their heart to this individual, as doing so would only result in further pain and damage.
However, amidst the darkness and turmoil, a glimmer of hope appears in the form of an angelic figure. This new presence is described as pure and serene, offering genuine kindness and warmth in contrast to the previous malevolent entity. The singer is urged to embrace this newfound light and reciprocate love and care, suggesting a possibility of redemption and salvation from the darkness that has plagued them.
The song culminates in a chilling ultimatum where the singer is instructed to prove their allegiance to a higher power by committing a heinous act of violence. The choice presented is stark - to either burn alongside the multitude or shine brightly in alignment with this sinister force. The lyrics convey a sense of moral ambiguity and a struggle between good and evil, leaving the listener to ponder the consequences of their actions and the nature of their own desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Elle te regarde amoureusement et pose ses mains sur ton corps
She looks at you lovingly and places her hands on your body
À elle tu tiens pas vraiment mais t'apprécies son réconfort
You don't really care for her, but you appreciate her comfort
T'es resté indifférent, le jour de sa mort
You remained indifferent on the day of her death
Après tout des filles comme elle y'en a des millions sur la Terre
After all, there are millions of girls like her on Earth
T'en baise une autre, ou deux pendant qu'elle pourrit sous la terre
You sleep with another, or two, while she rots underground
Des entailles dans le dos quand t'as donné ton cœur à celle
Cutting wounds in the back when you gave your heart to her
À celle qui t'avait dit qu'avec toi elle serait sincère
To the one who had told you she would be sincere with you
Derrière tous ces mots doux, se cache le visage de l'enfer
Behind all these sweet words hides the face of hell
Le visage de l'enfer, se cache derrière tous ces mots doux
The face of hell hides behind all these sweet words
Elle a rien à t'offrir, avec son corps elle t'amadoue
She has nothing to offer you, she just seduces you with her body
Elle te fera souffrir, elle coupera ton cœur en deux
She will make you suffer, she will cut your heart in two
Elle pourrait te sourire, même pendant qu'elle te démembre
She could smile at you, even while tearing you apart
C'est un démon, c'n'est plus une femme
She is a demon, no longer a woman
Elle sait très bien c'qu'elle fait non elle n'est pas instable
She knows exactly what she's doing, no she's not unstable
Elle joue avec les cœurs pour s'emparer des âmes
She plays with hearts to seize souls
Avec elle dans les flammes, elle veut emmener des hommes
With her in the flames, she wants to take men
Il fût un temps où son cœur était pur
There was a time when her heart was pure
En cherchant son âme-sœur elle ne trouva que la luxure
In searching for her soulmate, she found only lust
Une chose est sûre, elle te blessera pour soigner ses blessures
One thing is certain, she will hurt you to heal her own wounds
N'ouvre pas ton cœur, ne l'montre pas laisse le dans un lieu sûr
Don't open your heart, don't show it, leave it in a safe place
Mais aujourd'hui, au milieu des démons t'as vu un ange
But today, in the midst of demons, you saw an angel
La peau claire les yeux noirs et un regard froid comme la neige
Fair skin, black eyes, and a cold gaze like snow
Elle t'offrît un sourire, bien trop pur pour être un piège
She offered you a smile, too pure to be a trap
Pour toi elle fut, comme la lumière au milieu des orages
For you, she was like a light in the middle of storms
Elle est si belle, si pure crois la si elle te dit je t'aime
She is so beautiful, so pure, believe her if she says 'I love you'
Fais lui croire, que ton âme est la même que la sienne
Make her believe that your soul is the same as hers
Fais lui croire, que c'est de sa faute si elle saigne
Make her believe that it's her fault she's bleeding
Fais lui croire, que c'est ta présence qui la soigne
Make her believe that it's your presence that heals her
Maintenant qu'elle est dans tes bras, il faut qu'une lame t'aiguises
Now that she's in your arms, a blade must sharpen you
Arrache son cœur de sa poitrine et puis sers toi en à ta guise
Tear out her heart from her chest and then use it as you please
Maintenant elle peut plus partir même si elle sait que tu t'déguises
Now she can't leave even if she knows you're disguising yourself
Demande lui d'prier pour toi et d'aller brûler une église
Ask her to pray for you and to go burn a church
Et si jamais t'hésites, mon ami souviens toi
And if you ever hesitate, my friend, remember
Quand tu voulais faire du bien et qu'on t'faisait du mal à toi
When you wanted to do good and others hurt you
Et quand tu joues avec les cœurs, ne sois pas maladroit
And when you play with hearts, don't be clumsy
Apporte moi leur âme t'auras une place auprès de moi
Bring me their souls and you'll have a place by my side
Mon ami, regarde autour de toi
My friend, look around you
Des millions d'hommes et d'femmes dirigés pas le son d'ma voix
Millions of men and women led by the sound of my voice
Et demain, le monde sera à moi
And tomorrow, the world will be mine
Sois tu brûles avec eux
Either you burn with them
Sois tu brilles avec moi
Or you shine with me
Choisis moi
Choose me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Killian Darey, Akira Yamaoka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind