Eric Clayton (born December 1, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer, best known for his work
Eric Clayton (born December 1, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer, best known for his work in the influential symphonic gothic metal group Saviour Machine which he formed with his brother Jeff Clayton in 1989.
Eric Clayton is notable for his deep baritone operatic vocals, and is known for his theatrical live performances and dark, peculiar appearances and masks.
Clayton's vocals can simply be described as operatic. His voice ranges from high tenor to low baritone to occasionally the deep basso, and is typically filled with dark emotions. On Legend trilogy as well as on some guest performances he utilized cinematic, narrative speaking vocals.
On Saviour Machine's concerts, Clayton performs several theatrical and symbolic gestures. He typically paints his face in a way that it resembles an iconic theatre mask, and wears a peculiar forehead jewel as well as black clothes. Some of his live performances include wearing an American flag during the songs "Legion" and "American Babylon", dipping the Israeli and Palestinian flag into blood, wearing devices that resemble dark wings, and other gestures with separate masks, candles, chains, statues etc.
Clayton's lyrics are deeply spiritual, and on the first two album's include themes ranging from salvation to melodramatic, dark romanticism on songs such as "Legion". As the first album was banned from Christian bookstores due to a certain line in that song, Clayton has somewhat humorously criticized the Christian music scene for its hypocritical manners on songs such as "Ascension of Heroes."