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[Review] Silent Hill: Downpour OST

Published

14 years ago

on

shdcover

Tomorrow sees the release of Konami’s eighth entry into the Silent Hill series, Silent Hill: Downpour. For the past seven entries, fans have enjoyed the terrifying tones of Akira Yamaoka. However, the shock that everyone felt when it was announced that he would not be returning to compose this entry was felt far and wide. Upon the announcement that Dexter composer Daniel Licht was stepping in, there was a tentative sigh of release. After all, here was a man who had worked in horror for years, tackling Hellraiser, Children of the Corn, and many other beloved entries. But does the Silent Hill: Downpour OST do this series justice, especially after everything that Yamaoka has done?


Disclosure: My love of Silent Hill knows no bounds. Seriously, it’s kinda insane. Aside from the play novel and the Japanese-exclusive mobile games, I’ve played every single Silent Hill title out there. So know that this review comes from someone who has devoted a hell of a lot of time to the series and the music.
Alright, I’m going to state for the record that, from the very beginning, I believed in Daniel Licht. It’s like when Heath Ledger was announced as the Joker. A ton of people scoffed but I trusted in Christopher Nolan and believed in his vision. Same thing here. That feeling also might’ve been due in part to my belief that Yamaoka had been doing this long enough and that a new voice could very well be a good thing. 
Licht comes at this soundtrack with a much more cinematic feel than Yamaoka ever did. The tracks each feel like they are aimed at telling the story of a specific scene rather than be the identifying music of a location. Even the track names lend credence to this idea, with examples such as Railcar Ride, Basement Fight, or Bus To Nowhere. 
Licht has also created a more organic form of creepiness with the Downpour OST. Sure, there are still incredibly eerie and atmospheric industrial tones that shriek and moan, almost as though an abandoned factory came to life. But there are also a great deal of stringed instruments and percussion that lend a rich, natural, and perhaps most importantly, organic depth. 
An element that is supposed to be incredibly important in Downpour is that of rain and water. Therefore, this album should be able to reflect those feelings and that imagery, right? Well, it does just that. Something about this album makes me feel like it will be the perfect accompaniment to a thunderstorm, the sound of rain pattering against my window, thunder rumbling in the distance.
Perhaps my only complaint about this soundtrack is that it doesn’t pull at my heart as much as the Silent Hill 2 OST did or terrify me as much as the Silent Hill 1 OST. But let’s be realistic here, shall we? The Silent Hill 1 OST was basically a track of ambient noise with very little in the way of melody. And as for Silent Hill 2? I just have so many memories associated with that title that Licht was never going to be able to measure up to my nostalgia. Nor did I expect him to. 
The Final Word: Licht has created a soundtrack that is definitely Silent Hill in tone and yet undeniably different than the works of Yamaoka. With nods to all the elements that make a Silent Hill soundtrack memorable, Licht has proven he has everything that it takes to create an immersive aural experience that us survival horror fans so lovingly crave with the Silent Hill: Downpour OST. 
Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonny B.? Shoot him a message on Twitter!
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Movies

‘The Lost Boys’ Musical Extends Broadway Run With North American Tour Set for Spring 2028

Published

1 week ago

on

May 28, 2026

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The Lost Boys: A New Musical officially kicked off on Broadway last month, and Deadline now reports that the show’s Broadway run has been extended into next year.

The show was originally set to run through November, but Deadline reports that The Lost Boys: A New Musical “has released a block of tickets through Sunday, March 7, 2027.”

The news comes in the wake of The Lost Boys: A New Musical becoming the most Tony-nominated musical of the season with twelve nominations including Best Musical.

Additionally, “The Lost Boys will launch a North American National Tour in Spring 2028, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Additional cities and tour dates will be announced later.”

The Lost Boys: A New Musical is of course an adaptation of the 1987 horror classic from director Joel Schumacher, with the cast including Ali Louis Bourzgui as lead vampire David (originally played by Kiefer Sutherland), Maria Wirries as Star (originally played by Jami Gertz), and LJ Benet as the soon-to-be-turned Michael (originally played by Jason Patric).

The horror musical’s cast also includes Shoshana Bean as Lucy Emerson, Benjamin Pajak as Sam Emerson, Paul Alexander Nolan as Max, Jennifer Duka as Alan Frog, Miguel Gil as Edgar Frog, Brian Flores as Marko, Sean Grandillo as Dwayne, and Dean Maupin as Paul.

The Lost Boys: A New Musical is Directed by Michael Arden, featuring Music and Lyrics by The Rescues, Book by David Hornsby & Chris Hoch, Story by James Jeremias & Janice Fischer, and Produced by James Carpinello, Marcus Chait & Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring) by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.

When a mother and her two teenage sons move to Santa Carla in desperate need of a fresh start, they soon uncover the darker side of this sunny coastal community. While Lucy tries to piece her family’s life back together, Michael keeps pulling away in search of belonging.

As he finds connection with a local rock band and its charismatic leader, his younger brother Sam comes face-to-face with a terrifying reality: When night falls, Michael’s new friends are even more dangerous than they first appeared.

Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys vampire movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover that the area is a haven for vampires.

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