Mantra (Shelter album)

Mantra is an album by New York City hardcore punk band Shelter.[3][4] Released in 1995, it was the band's first album for Roadrunner.[5][6]

Mantra
Studio album by Shelter
Released	August 8, 1995
Genre	Hardcore punk, Krishnacore
Length	30:29
Label	Roadrunner, Supersoul
Producer	Tom Soares, John "Porcell" Porcelly
Shelter chronology
Attaining The Supreme (1993) Mantra (1995) Beyond Planet Earth (1997)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Drowned in Sound	9/10[2]

Lyrically the album focuses mainly on Hare Krishna religious philosophy and social commentary on Western civilization — including a manifesto entitled Supersoul in the album's booklet, authored by band's frontman Ray Cappo. The first song, "Message of the Bhagavad", is introduced by an excerpt of a Bhagavad Gita verses reading.

Mantra was distributed in Brazil featuring two bonus tracks, expanding the listing from 11 to 13. Howerever, the lyrics for tracks #12 and #13 were not included in the booklet. By the time of the release, the band hadn't played live in the country yet, which happened for the first time in 1996.[7]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that Cappo "is an articulate and principled spokesman for transcendental thought set to a tough 4/4 beat."[5] In a retrospective review, Ox-Fanzine called Mantra "a tame rock album from another time."[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Shelter except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Message of the Bhagavat"	3:00
2.	"Civilized Man"	2:37
3.	"Here We Go"	2:38
4.	"Appreciation"	2:08
5.	"Empathy"	3:33
6.	"Not the Flesh"	2:45
7.	"Chance"	1:15
8.	"Mantra"	3:09
9.	"Surrender to Your T.V."	2:32
10.	"Letter to a Friend"	3:19
11.	"Metamorphosis"	3:33
Total length:		30:29

Brazilian and reissue bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
12.	"Progressive Man"	4:23
13.	"We Can Work It Out" (Lennon/McCartney)	2:23
Total length:		37:15

Credits

Band Ray Cappo – vocals, lyrics Porcell – guitars, additional production, mixing Adam Blake – bass Dave Dicenso – drums Others Sri Kesava (Baby Gopal) – backing vocals Tom Soares – backing vocals Boston Bhakta Program – backing vocals Joe Tomlinson – backing vocals A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada – spiritual representation

Production Tom Soares – production Greg Calbi – mastering Tom Soares – mixing Tom Soares – sound engineer Fred Bortolotti – sound engineer (assistant) Howie Abrams – A&R Lego/Cut The Fat – art direction, design concept, photography Betty Swollocks – design Ken Salerno – photography (back cover)

References

1. "Mantra - Shelter | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
2. "Album Review: Shelter - Mantra". DrownedInSound.
3. "Shelter | Biography & History". AllMusic.
4. Strauss, Neil (December 23, 1995). "POP REVIEW;Hates Meat And Calls Its Fans 'Murderers' (Published 1995)" – via NYTimes.com.
5. "Shelter". Trouser Press. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
6. Cogan, Brian (2006). Encyclopedia of Punk Music and Culture. Greenwood Press. pp. 200–201.
7. "Grupo Shelter deve fazer show no Brasil". Folhateen. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2014. In Portuguese
8. "Review". www.ox-fanzine.de.