SAYREVILLE — Marilyn Manson spoke to the New Jersey crowd as he must speak to himself.

"You are not what they say you are until you're f---ing dead," he uttered, just above a mumble.

The crowd cheered wildly and the audacious shock-rocker — beginning to wear at 46 — steered himself away from philosophy and back into the industrial anthems that ignited a sold-out Starland Ballroom Saturday night.

On the strength of a well-received new album and 25 years of pushing the envelope — or brazenly shoving it into a grave — Manson's new Hell not Hallelujah world tour stopped in Sayreville on just the third of several dozen dates that stretch through June.

Manson's maniacal roadshow isn't quite as exhilarating (or toxic depending on opinion) as in years past, but the singer's pairing of caustic, anti-everything standards and what might be the his best new work in 10 years was a win for fans — and likely a loss for mankind.

Here's a few highlights from Manson's visit to Jersey:

• An outrageous visual has always been an integral part of Manson's allure, and on this night there was much to see. The primary getup was a black button-down, partially covered by a leather bustier vest and black pants, but throughout the show, additional layers were draped on and off. Manson wore a charcoal peacoat to begin the show, pulled on black cloak during his famed "Sweet Things" Eurhythmics cover, hung a glossy cape on one shoulder later on, and finally he donned sea captain's hat for "Irresponsible Hate Anthem." Makeup was typical for him: white foundation with heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick. His four-piece band dressed to match.

His head was shaved on the sides and a straightened crop of hair on top was slicked to the left. By Manson's standards, this was all fairly tame. No blood or animal sacrifices this time around. He fit the theme of his new album "The Pale Emperor."

• Manson played five tracks off the album released Tuesday, and they fit seamlessly into a set largely constructed of songs 10 or more years old. The critically-acclaimed record was best represented by the searing set opener "Deep Six," which allowed Manson to unleash immediately and wail through the tune's heavy chorus. The chugging groove of "Third Day of a Seven Day Binge" played nicely live and "Mephistopheles of Los Angeles" was a smart pull-back between the raging hits "This is the New S**t" and "The Beautiful People."

• Manson's stage presence wavered constantly between complete investment and general disinterest. For years that's been the dichotomy: Manson as the impassioned "shock-rock" overlord and Manson as the guy who sees everything he's built as a little vapid and silly. And he's loved for this. His fans appreciate that he can scream and thrash to "The Dope Show" or "mOBSCENE," and once the song ends, he's back to muttering some death-soaked line into the mic. He must know most of the crowd can't hear him well, but he doesn't care. Such was the case on this night as fans yelled in support, even when they didn't know what he was talking about. Or what he was trying to sing a capella just for kicks. A monotone "goodnight or whatever" would've sufficed as an end the night.

• When seen on TV or online, Manson's persona is controlled, affected and precisely woven into this antichrist rock deity. But when seen live, the evil facade cracks a bit. Manson seems much more human when you watch him fumble with the top button of his collar or when he struggles to unfold the hood of his cloak to place on his head. And his white makeup fades as the show goes on, as if he's slowly returning to his rarely seen, mortal form.

Shock rock legend Marilyn Manson performs to a sold out crowd at Starland Ballroom in Sayrevile.

• During the new tune "Killing Strangers," Manson's microphone was attached to a 12-inch kitchen knife, not dissimilar from one Michael Myers would brandish. It was hard to tell if the blade was sharp — until Manson plunged it through his tambourine over and over. There's a "words cut" pun in here somewhere. This wasn't the only mic trick. Before "Sweet Dreams," Manson attached an LED light to the microphone, illuminating his face on an otherwise dim stage. The effect was eery and appropriate. A brass-knuckles mic was brought out later.

• Manson is known well for his deadpan wit and morbid humor so here are a few one-liners from the night. "There's no nightmares, just more interesting dreams."; "Be obscene and heard."; "Newspapers are good for birdcages and birds---."; and when two fans began to fight in the crowd, he quipped "It's only natural — it's called evolution."

• Manson spits —a lot — and when a crowd-surfer reached the stage and was grabbed by security, Manson held her hand for a few seconds, and just before letting go, he spat on it. We'll just call it a term of endearment.

MARILYN MANSON SETLIST

"Deep Six" "Disposable Teens" "mOBSCENE" "No Reflection" "Killing Strangers" "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (Eurythmics cover) "Cupid Carries a Gun" "Rock Is Dead" "The Dope Show" "Third Day of a Seven Day Binge" "Personal Jesus" (Depeche Mode cover) "This Is the New Shit" "The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles" "The Beautiful People" "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" Encore: "Coma White"

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter

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