Shelter 'Mantra'

Originally released in 1995 on Roadrunner Records, Mantra is Shelter’s breakthrough full-length and one of the defining records of melodic ’90s hardcore.

Led by Ray Cappo of Youth of Today and guitarist John Porcelly of Youth of Today and Judge, Shelter brought the urgency of New York hardcore into increasingly melodic territory while placing themes of spirituality, self-examination, and Krishna consciousness at the center of the songs.

Tracks like “Here We Go,” “Message of the Bhagavat,” “Civilized Man,” “Appreciation,” and “Not the Flesh” balance fast, anthemic hardcore with huge hooks and a sense of purpose that separated Shelter from nearly everything happening around them at the time. The result became a bridge between the straight-edge hardcore world the band emerged from and the broader punk and alternative audience Shelter would reach throughout the ’90s.

Three decades later, Mantra remains an essential Shelter record and a cornerstone of melodic hardcore.

This 30th Anniversary Iodine Recordings edition presents the album in a gatefold jacket with the original cover artwork and an exclusive Red/Orange “Burning Wheel” vinyl pressing, available only through Iodine.