As the composer for the famed Silent Hill video game series, Yamaoka helped to define the series' nightmarish atmosphere with his equally nightmarish and unsettling soundtracks.
Yamaoka's music is remarkable for being both eclectic and well-crafted. He cites Trent Reznor's harsh industrial rock as an obvious inspiration, but other styles such as trip-hop, alternative rock and jazz have clearly left their mark on him. Last Stop, Windows Up is an example of his music at its most relaxed, and wouldn't sound out of place during the quieter moments of a Silent Hill game.
Shadows Of The Damned is a proudly outlandish game, and its immature stream of curse words and penis jokes can be hard to stomach. The same can't be said of the game's soundtrack, which sticks to the Silent Hill formula of mixing loud, ominous soundscapes with softer, more conventional pieces.
Last Stop is played specifically during the game's level progress screens, and allows for a break from the madcap action composing the rest of the game. Key to the song is its percussion: a jazzy, relaxed groove that gently propels the listener along. The wistful piano (practically a Yamaoka trademark) adds an introspective feel, as if contemplating the insanity that has yet to come.
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