[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Akira_Yamaoka_Rocking_Live_2338.JPG]]

Akira Yamaoka (born February 6, 1968) is a Japanese composer and sound designer, who started out in the Creator/{{Konami}} Kukeiha Club (alongside the likes of Music/MichiruYamane) and achieved individual recognition for ''Franchise/SilentHill''. After many ''Silent Hill'' titles, he eventually left Konami to join Creator/{{Suda51}} at Creator/GrasshopperManufacture. He frequently collaborates with singer Creator/MaryElizabethMcGlynn and lyricist Joe Romersa. He cites [[Music/NineInchNails Trent Reznor]], [[Series/TwinPeaks Angelo Badalamenti]], Music/{{Metallica}} and Music/DepecheMode as his biggest musical influences.

!!He has been the lead composer for the following:
[[index]]
* ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series
** ''VideoGame/SilentHill1''
** ''VideoGame/SilentHill2''
** ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'' (also produced)
** ''VideoGame/SilentHill4'' (also produced)
** ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins''
** ''VideoGame/SilentHillHomecoming''
** ''VideoGame/SilentHillShatteredMemories''
** ''VideoGame/SilentHillTheShortMessage''
* ''VideoGame/ShadowsOfTheDamned''
* ''Videogame/SineMora''
* ''VideoGame/LiberationMaiden''
* ''VideoGame/LollipopChainsaw''
* ''VideoGame/BlackKnightSword''
* ''VideoGame/KillerIsDead''
* ''VideoGame/TheMedium''

!!He has also contributed to:
* ''VideoGame/RocketKnightAdventures''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}} [=CD-ROMantic=]''
* ''VideoGame/{{Contra}}: Shattered Soldier''
* ''VideoGame/RumbleRoses'' series
* ''[[Film/SilentHill Silent Hill: The Movie]]''
** ''Film/SilentHillRevelation''
* ''VideoGame/LightningLegendDaigoNoDaibouken''
* ''VideoGame/{{Otomedius}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Twinbee}} Paradise''
* ''VideoGame/{{Beatmania}} and other VideoGame/{{Bemani}} games.''
* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle''
* ''VideoGame/Persona4DancingAllNight''
* ''VideoGame/LetItDie''
* ''VideoGame/TheSilverCase'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/TheTwentyFifthWard''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ninjala}}''
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks''
* ''Videogame/DeadByDaylight''[[labelnote:*]]Composed both the menu theme and Pyramid Head's chase theme for the ''Silent Hill'' crossover DLC.[[/labelnote]]
* ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners''
[[/index]]

!!Tropes:
* IAmTheBand: Instead of hiring studio musicians, Akira recorded every part of every song on his ''Silent Hill'' projects himself. He then went a step further on "Silent Scream" from ''Silent Hill: Revelation''; Romersa was in the middle of another project and didn't have time to work on the song, so Yamaoka wrote the lyrics himself.
* ShoutOut: Two of ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'''s killers, The Spirit and The Oni, real names Rin Yamaoka and her ancestor Yamaoka Kazan, are named after Akira.
* SignatureInstrument: He greatly prefers the longer string scale of the Strat-style (typically 25.5 inches vs. a Les Paul-style's 24.5), and his most iconic guitar is a black Ibanez [=U777P=] seven-string with a mirrored pickguard.
* ToTheTuneOf: The riff between verses in "Silent Scream" has the same rhythm and chord structure as those in Metallica's "The Thing That Should Not Be", although the chords used are different.
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