Akira Yamaoka

	Date of Birth:	February 6, 1968 (Niigata)
	Education:	Tokyo Art College - Product Design & Interior
	Musical Influences:	Visage, Depeche Mode, Metallica, Vangelis
	Instruments:	Guitar
	Game Works:	Silent Hill Series, Contra: Shattered Soldier, Bemani

Employment History

Brief Profile

During his adolescence, Akira Yamaoka learnt about sequencing and formed a punk rock band. His initial career path was product design, but following a role on Jerry Boy, he became a full-time sound designer at Konami in 1993 and initially co-composed the two versions of Sparkster. He subsequently contributed to Lightning Legend, Road Rage, Poy Poy, Kansei: Sacred Fist, and the Winning Eleven series in composition roles. He was also the manipulator for Snatcher's remake and Vandal Hearts as well as the rock arranger for two pieces on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

For 1999's survival horror title Silent Hill, Yamaoka volunteered to be the sound manager. He blended industrial ambience and experimental noise for the soundtrack, while also single-handedly handling the game's sound effects, sound manipulation, and soundtrack release. He subsequent offered the first of his many contributions to the Bemani line of games. He returned to popular acclaim for Silent Hill 2, creating a more emotionally expressive and stylistically rich soundtrack, as well as a large sound effects collection and commanded sound programming.

After creating a guitar-driven score to Contra: Shattered Soldier, he combined the roles of producer and sound manager on Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill 4 The Room. He focused on increasing interactivity and psychological focus while introducing vocal themes to the franchise. More recently, he has created an experimental electronica-oriented solo album iFUTURELIST and brought his Silent Hill compositions to the concert hall and big screen. He has recently completed work on Silent Hill Origins and Silent Hill 5 as producer and sound manager.

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