The sampled screaming in "Angel's Scream" keeps the track plodding along at a hellish pace before breaking into a full angelic choral outro that completely changes the mood of the song as it fades. The exploratory chilling piano motifs of "Creeping Distress" set the scene for the album's more location-specific tracks, but Shattered Memories has some seriously intense moments. I'm willing to bet that Yamaoka knew he would leave Konami after this project was complete, so it's hard not to look at this as his swansong, one last deathly hurrah for the town of Silent Hill before he moves on to greener pastures. I dearly love all of the past full CD releases from the series, but when it's time for a change, it is time for a change. What you will find here is something quite different than his prior Silent Hill soundtracks, and this is a very, very good thing. You're not going to find another "Witchcraft" or "Love Psalm" on this disc, nor should you want to, really. Instrumentally, this is definitely not the Yamaoka any of us are used to. Dare I even say that the vocals reach back to the greatness from The Room and Homecoming? Oh, I dare say it doubly so. Somehow keeping the four-vocals-per-album tradition alive feels fresh this time around amid all the new instrumental music. Whatever way you want to shake it, they're shamelessly better than the vocal tracks in Silent Hill Zero (save maybe "O.R.T.") and are worth checking out. These vocals might not be everyone's favorite types of tracks, so if you want to skip 'em, you should probably skip 'em. The final two vocals close out the album very well, with "Acceptance" bringing back warm memories of "Room of Angel", albeit in a less oppressive way, and "Hell Frozen Rain" is equal parts somber and rockin' with some not-so-subtle nods to previous Silent Hill melodies strewn around for good measure. And, granted, they originally come off as painfully dark and forced, but after a couple of listens I got totally hooked on "Always on my Mind" and found that even the cheesy rock riffs of "When You're Gone" hit home. (What, you don't see it? Really? It's right behind you!) There are four Mary Elizabeth McGlynn vocals. Let's cut the foreplay and talk about the pink elephant in the room. For traditional Silent Hill diehards this may not be the album you've been waiting for, but those with an open mind will find more than they could have dreamed of with this soundtrack. That said, a reimagining of the game means a reimagining of the soundtrack, and as far as I'm concerned Yamaoka has delivered on all fronts. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, if you spend time looking at in-game posters of chicks in bikinis, Cybil will sport a low-cut shirt that shows off some cleavage. Harry Mason gets a psychological and physical makeover, while the title further changes some key gameplay elements that were abundant in previous entries (like removing combat altogether) and adds a psychological profiling element that changes the game's flow as you play based on decisions you make, even the minor ones. A "reimagining" of the original Silent Hill title, Shattered Memories takes the familiar town and completely covers it in ice and snow, providing a familiar yet eerily different environment to explore. I'm fairly certain that Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is going to divide both the gaming community and Akira Yamaoka's fans right down the middle. Silent Hill Shattered Memories Soundtrack Kaufmann - Cybil Bennett - Michelle ValdezÄĞar Maid - The Stewarts - Mr.Silent Hill Shattered Memories Soundtrack :: Review by Zane Harry Mason - Cheryl Mason - Dahlia Mason - Dr.
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