Silent Hill Shattered Memories Soundtrack has just been announced.  Looks like it'll be a pre-order bonus only for now, 18 tracks total.

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product … t_id=74828

I know I'll be pre-ordering very soon!  Though it's kinda strange that Gamestop is saying the CD "contains 18 of your favorite tracks from the Silent Hill series" but then the artwork clearly says it's the Shattered Memories soundtrack.  I hope it's not just a "best of" CD and we really are getting the actual soundtrack.

Can we get a "yay for new Yamaoka!" celebration going or what?

what

In all seriousness though, I'm really just a fan of his vocals, so this probably isn't for me. Also a fan of iFUTURELIST but this is definitely not going to be like that.

I'm still waiting for an official OST for Homecoming.
But then, I'm still waiting for a JAPANESE RELEASE for Homecoming.

Thanks for the news, Mike!

A question: does the Wii have a region lock-out? Could I play a North American Wii game on an European Wii? I'm getting it for the soundtrack either way (buying a game from the US doesn't cost that much more than buying a soundtrack from Japan), but it'd be nice if I could play the game also.

Has the PS2 version's release-date been announced yet? If so, will it have the soundtrack, or is that Wii-exclusive?

Also, an observation: its funny how the amount of tracks on SH OSTs have just shrunk all the time. SH1 had 42, SH2 30, SH3 26, SH4 22, Origins jumped back up to 26, but Homecoming continued the trend with 21, and now Shattered Memories is down to 18? Well, as long as the music's good...

A complilation would suck so much, its gotta be the real soundtrack. But wasn't the Homecoming OST a Gamestop deal? If so, then I think this will be the real deal.

Yay for new Yamaoka!

Yes, the Wii has region lock-out, so you're not going to be able to play the game.
Unless you mod your Wii of course, which I'm sure is not morally objectionable if you're just using it to make it region-free.

I'm guessing this new game takes place in the North Pole?

Hasn't Konami been doing the same thing with the Castlevania games? They release a bonus soundtrack which has a cover of the game you ordered, but the CD is a "best-of" compilation? Sadly, I'm pretty certain this is going to be a compilation and not the real deal.

-avatar!

LOL, I can't see any scenario whatsoever where modding a Wii would be "morally objectionable"... Unless you modify it in a such a way that it becomes a dangerous weapon, I guess.

Sorry dude, but I'm ready to bet against you there. The best previous example we have to go on for guesses is Homecoming (which is in the same series), and that was the real soundtrack, not a compilation. I'm pretty sure this will be real and its just the Gamestop description that is off.

Yeah, if it's just music from the new game and not a compilation I might consider preordering.  There's so little this fall that I'm interested in - might as well pick up ONE (err... two, since A Boy and His Blob is day one) thing at actual launch.

Yes the Wii has a region lock-out, and yes you can get around it.  Depending on what revision your actual console is, you may be able to just soft mod it.  That's how I did mine.  I'm almost positive that I used bannerbomb to actually exploit the Wii and then installed the Homebrew Channel with the HackMii installer.  Note: be careful.

That's more like it!  I'm hoping he provided some fan service with this score and remixed some of the original SH music.  Come on NOT TOMORROW 1.5!  Or better yet, if there's a UFO ending in this one, have Mary Elizabeth McGlynn perform a remake of Esperándote.. hahaha that would be totally awesome.

Well, modding it also technically allows you to play backups, ie downloads/pirated copies.
Not that modding equals piracy, but there are those who frown upon it in any case.

That's the most ingenious idea I've ever heard! Let it be in the original Spanish, but change the instrumentation so it resembles a somber version of SH1's UFO Ending song. I wonder if anyone would be able to remain sane after hearing that.

Just in case anyone was still unsure, Gamestop has since changed the wording to "contains 18 of your favorite tracks from the Silent Hill: Shattered Memories."  Even though they officially suck at grammar, at lease we now know for sure.

I can't wait for this game and soundtrack!

How they know that those 18 tracks are my favourite ones?

But still, probably have to check eBay after this has been released for the soundtrack.

Nice! Glad to hear about the soundtrack. Also, the game looks pretty cool (hehe... pun intended
So, which version are people going to get? I must say, this definitely looks like it's intended for the Wii...

cheers,

-avatar!

I don't know if it'll work better on Wii or not, but that's the system I'll be buying it for. I'd like a copy of the PSX original, but I also don't have $70+ to spend on a goddamn PSX game. Could pawn shops be my greatest friend here . . . ?

http://www.gamemp3s.net/2009/11/24/shat … ife-story/

Gamemp3s is on the ball again, they must have connections or something. 21 tracks, judging from the titles, all-new music, not a compilation of oldies. Personally, I'm holding off listening to it until I get my own copy in a couple of weeks.

Awesome news. I haven't listened to it yet, but to be honest, judging from the track list it seems a bit too formulaic. I can only hope that it won't be a disappointment like Homecoming was. For some reason I can't get into his ambient side anymore, the later works lack something special he had on the first game (even though the official release was kind of sucky), and on the "softer" front he hasn't been able to meet the standards of Silent Hill 2.

So yeah, I hope this will prove to be a magical spark that reignites my passion for Yamaoka.

Eeeeeexcellent. I'll give this a listen soon.

Actually, I kinda agree with Raziel.
As great as his music is, his new stuff is sounding way too formulaic, kinda like he's playing it safe.

Hope this one can convince me otherwise, but I doubt it.

A suggestion: could your loss of passion for the music be linked to the fact that you don't appreciate the games as much as you used to (or don't play the new ones at all)? I'm not saying this is the case with you (or anyone else here), but I've noticed that its an obvious trend with most people: once they felt the games started to suck or got uninteresting, they also started liking the music less.

Personally, with the exception of SH1 OST, I got all the SH soundtracks before playing the games, and have loved them all (some growing on me faster than others, SH4 clicking fastest and Homecoming taking the longest to digest). If anything, its noticeable in the music that Yamaoka is no longer involved with the development of the rest of the game project, as he pretty much composes the music on his own and then it gets put into the game by the programmers on the other side of the globe, and in this regard I can agree that the music in the last two OSTs sounds more "generically" SH-atmospheric than the more focused earlier soundtracks to the games made by Team Silent (I've discussed this with Jay in connection with the previous two SH OSTs, so I'm beginning to get a feeling of déjà vu here... ). But generic in style? Can't agree with that, Homecoming had a unique, experimental sound that's evolved all over the place from the earlier ones. Also, if we're talking the "ambient" side of SH music, its not really fair to measure up the others to SH1 OST, as that one is actually the only one containing mostly dark ambient/industrial from the game, while the others focus on the trip-hop/rock/vocal/synth/etc. music more often used in the cutscenes. Basically, all of them are woefully incomplete, with SH1 OST focusing on one aspect and the others on another. This hurts them as listening experiences to various degrees. With SH2 OST, not so much, as its skillfully crafted as a more well-rounded listening experience and the source music lends itself very well to the "album" format to begin with, but others are more damaged by it, like SH Origins (the OST CD is really a botched shadow of the full soundtrack, I recommend tracking down one of the complete rips floating around, its Yamaoka magic of the finest brand).

What?! I loved the tracklist, IMO a big improvement from Homecoming's confusing cipher. Do you mean that the "ice theme" of certain of the titles is unimaginative and expected (given the game's setting), or are you referring to something else?

Well, with that attitude, of course it won't convince you.

I'm trying to keep an open mind until I actually get to hear the music. Like with you guys, my enthusiasm for Yamaoka's music isn't as great as it once was (simply because I'm no longer the same person that I was 10 years ago, panta rei), but he's still one of only two VGM composers who have never let me down, and the only composer doing music in all the styles I love the most (dark ambient, industrial, trip-hop, rock, metal, various electronic styles, etc.), so anything new by him still deserves my undivided attention. IMO, the way he's playing it "safe" lies not so much in the music he puts out as in the fact that he seems to only do SH music nowadays, which is a damn shame, as he has great potential to work wonders in other types of games. I'm still clinging to my vain hope of a Yamaoka Castlevania soundtrack, but I have the feeling that will never happen.

Heh, yeah, and you've covered just about anything I would have said about that already. And I find myself agreeing with you on the last couple of soundtracks. I have no idea what I said at the time about the Homecoming OST so my impressions now after this time could be different to my first impressions, but I found it to offer something really interesting. I didn't like all the tracks but I was hearing something different in that soundtrack and, personally, I really liked it.

Origins, for me, really suffered some of that SH3 cookie-cutter trip-hop that I have felt was the rot of Silent Hill music setting in but, as you say, the actual music from the game offered much more than that. I don't feel that soundtrack represents the best that the music from Origins had to offer.

You're also right that the SH1 soundtrack stands alone because the choice of music for the cd release was so different (and, to me, slightly baffling).

But it's possible that what Raziel means about the tracklisting being formulaic is the fact that it's book-ended yet again by McGlynn vocal tracks. And I must admit that just screams 'stuck in a rut' to me too. While different approaches were taken to the cd releases, one thing SH1 had were some really unique choices for the opening and closing tracks. To take a retelling of SH1 and slap the usual McGlynn vocals and SH3 trip-hop in between would be a shame.

But I have no idea if that's what he's done. I haven't heard this yet. I'm just making a guess on what Raziel may have meant by his tracklisting comment.

I'm hoping for good things with this, in spite of McGlynn. I guess I should just listen to it and find out but I find myself holding off until I have an actual release in my hands. I love the cover though. While this whole ice thing hasn't looked scary or creepy (and I had a mild heart attack at the character designs), I still love that they are going for something different. It's ballsy and I like it.

I don't share the love of the Silent Hill soundtracks that others do.  While there is a nice handful of "interesting" stuff in them, I almost never want to listen to the music outside the games....with the exception of the vocal tracks.  A new Silent Hill OST for me pretty much just means new McGlynn tracks (I know some people hate them, but I love them).
I just downloaded the Shattered Memories OST and listened only to the 4 vocal tracks.  I really like 2 of them (the last two), I like 1 of them (the second), and I'm ok with the remaining track (the first).

Yeah, definitely agreed. This is the fifth SH soundtrack that gives center stage to McGlynn's vocals, and, no matter how good they turn out to be (I do expect them to be pretty good), its definitely like a broken/stuck record at this point. I have nothing personally against McGlynn, she's a competent singer and all, but Yamaoka should definitely drop her and go for some innovation (or at least try other vocalists).

True that.

I can confidently affirm that that is not the case.
Like yourself, I've actually listened to most of the soundtracks before playing the game (1 and 2 being the exceptions) so nostalgia or positive memories of the game have nothing to do with it.

I guess the other explanation you offered makes much more sense: Yamaoka not being involved with the actual games anymore makes his more recent work sound more like a phone-in job than anything else.

That said, it seems I am the only person on the planet who actually really liked Origins as a game as well, and I thought the music worked extremely well in it, but it just didn't stand out enough on its own.

Well, I just listened to it, and I can say that I don't like it.
AT ALL.

I guess at least it can be said that Yamaoka didn't play it safe this time, and despite the presence of McGlynn, the rest of the music is nothing like SH3 or any of the more recent soundtracks, but damn it's boring and uninspired as hell.

If the game itself is anything like this too, I'm declaring the series officially dead.

I've given it a listen but man...I need time to appropriately word my thoughts.

This is strange.

This is just...bizarre. It sounds gothic...surreal. Wait. What. It's either really awesome or total disaster, I don't know.

By the way, all the vocal tracks suck besides the first one.

Edit: Actually, Acceptance is rather decent too. But the other two, bleh.

! This sounds great! Amazingu's comments were even more promising. If its true that Yamaoka is moving further out into abstract territory, I couldn't be happier. I'm hoping for something far, far from the mainstream, all of the SH soundtracks have been great, but some of them have been a little too "user-friendly".

Must withstand desire to listen until I get my own copy........ This is gonna be tough.

No.

The thing is, it's too surreal to be user-friendly, but it's FAR too meek to be abstract.
I'd be surprised (and honestly kind of disappointed) if you were to dig this, DK.
Knowing how much you love the soundtrack to SH1, I really don't see how this could appeal to you, because it's entirely without flavor if you ask me.

It's just....there.
It's nothing scary, gothic, or industrial, or melodic, ambient or atmospheric. It's nothing. It's just....sound.

I haven't been this bored by a soundtrack since...well...EVER.

That's ice for you.

Your comments intrigue me a lot, Amazingu. I really want to hear it now.... So hard to resist.

"Meek" and "abstract" are not mutually exclusive, a thing can be both at the same time.

I do love SH1 OST a lot, and would really like another one as intense and edgy as that one. But I also love many any other things (many which could be described as "just....sound"), and we'll see what my reaction will be to this... Although I do agree that if it ends up feeling "tame", there's very little chance that I'll like it, "tame" isn't a word I've associated with Yamaoka before, so I'll definitely be disappointed if that's the way it is.

Your and Raziel's comments have really caught my interest... I'm looking forward to hearing this, whichever way it goes.

Jay, what says you?

You know, 'tame' isn't all that far from the truth.

But I like it.

Discarding the McGlynn tracks for a moment, because they don't feel like part of this soundtrack, this has a whole different feel to it. Yes, it has tracks with those very familiar slow beats and those same Silent Hill chords but those tracks are far outnumbered by new tracks.

With some of these, there's a hint of jazz, an orchestral one that feels un-Silent Hill, but mostly the tracks sound like atmosphere. Moods. This actually sounds most like a score than any SH album in years.

In a way, that most of the soundtrack sounds like atmosphere does liken it to SH1. But, where that atmosphere was oppressive and creepy, this one is gentle and soft. And, while there is variety in the sounds and approaches here, it all flows together and becomes one overall piece.

Which I love.

But that's also where the 'tame' thing comes in. This music, being a fairly soft underscore, is background music. I put it on, sat down to listen to it and, as it got going, it wasn't music I was listening to any more. It was just music that was there in the background, if you know what I mean. It sort of fades away. It vanishes as you listen to it.

I like that it sounds different. I like that it comes with its own feel. I would love to have heard more tracks that illustrate this new world they are creating. So far, I only heard it in a track appropriately named 'Ice'. I think it needed way more tempo changes and something to break it up here and there but I like what's here and I'm really itching to hear it in the context of the game because this sounds like a score more than an album - something you know I've been complaining about for years!

The McGlynn tracks, however, are completely redundant. The opening track is interesting, being a cover version of 'Always On My Mind' and, in spite of all too familiar SH chords I could do without, it sounds pretty cool until halfway in when it seems Yamaoka had no idea where to go with it. And the other three, while fine, add nothing and we've heard much better on just about any other SH soundtrack.

So there you go!

I wasn't going to listen to it until I had a copy in my hand but, with all this discussion, I couldn't resist.

Thanks Jay, with the exception of you actually liking it, you basically wrote down my exact thoughts, only more wordy

THIS.

Is exactly what I meant.
Which is why I used words like "meek" and "flavorless".

There is no edge to it, nothing.

As someone who had, at best, made casual acquaintances with the Silent Hill music series in the past, I thought I'd give Shattered Memories a listen, and offer a non-hardcore fan's perspective on the score.

I'm surprised at how mellow it really is.  As Jay stated, there's an overall flow, gentle and soft, that I'm honestly not used to.  It's far less industrial, certainly not on the same level as SH1. (Which is something of a surprise; is this game not pegged as a re-imagining of the original?)  Now, I'm by no means the biggest fan of the industrial genre, but I did find its use in the earliest games to be incredibly effective.  Here, there are attempts, such as in Devil's Laughter and Raw Shock, which never quite resonate the same way.  Problematically, the pieces follow a steadier progression, a construction of beat and sound effects that unfortunately takes that oppressive edge off.  Same goes for Angel's Scream, yet I admit to liking those brief spurts of choir and heavy gongs that Yamaoka has utilized..... un-Silent Hill like though they may be.  On the other hand, there are tracks that follow a stricter compositional structure, such as the militaristic orchestral tone of Forsaken Lullaby and Endless Depth, that may yet again betray the Silent Hill sound, but I ended up digging.

Searching The Past and Another Warm Body bring to mind the lyrical strains of Silent Hill 2, but doesn't quite reach the same emotive heights.  And as for the McGlynn vocals, I do like them, but agree that they should be in their own separate "album" section.  "Acceptance", however, feels right.  It's the one song on the entire score that managed to send a genuine chill through me.  It's hauntingly compelling, and from what I know of the game, the melody and lyrics seem to appropriately encapsulate the tone.

In all, Shattered Memories is a decent listen, but for a Silent Hill soundtrack, it's neither here or there.  It's likely not something I would revisit for my (admittedly) sporadic trips to the Silent Hill music world.

I really liked the original Silent Hill soundtrack, but couldn't get so deep into the later, more melodic and then rock-influenced soundtracks. But this one is really grabbing me. It's more melodic than SH1, yes, but the word I would use for the Shattered Memories soundtrack is "intimidating". The themes of ice, snow and coldness come through in the music as well as the track naming, and I think there's some humor in "Angel's Scream" or "The Blackest Friday." Festive music for the holiday season! But there's also a sense of threat in those tracks, or the aptly named "Devil's Laughter", and generally, it seems like a partial return to Silent Hill 1, while the melodic side isn't so much a return to SH2-3 as a new take on the style, and it works.

Exactly opposite to what Jay experienced, I started listening to it as background music, and then I started listening into it, and I forgot what I was doing before. I've listened to it several times in a row now and I think it will become my second favorite SH soundtrack alongside the original.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Sami! Nice to hear a clearly positive evaluation of the music from someone. I'm still holding off listening to it until my copy arrives (which is getting harder and harder, believe me...), but from the way people have described the music so far, I think you might be on to something with the "ice, snow and coldness" bit. I think Yamaoka most probably had that setting in mind when composing the score.

I'm also interested to know if he knew that he was gonna leave Konami while he was composing this music. If so, I wonder how that affected the process. Maybe there's some kind of statement with or purpose behind the radically different style? If someone manages to do an interview with Yamaoka now when he's left the company, it'd be interesting to ask him that. Indeed, anything he has to say about his decision to leave would be very interesting to hear, period.

Although most opinions so far have been negative, I'm still getting a good feeling... My taste is different from most people's here (especially in regards to ambient music and "sounds"), so I'm looking forward to finally taking this in myself.