The same year that Living Colour announced its breakup, Epic issued a 17-track greatest-hits collection, Pride.

As the collection proves, the band was ahead of their time and extremely influential -- they were combining musical forms such as heavy metal and funk/rap/soul years before the musical form was commonplace (circa late '90s).

But unlike the bands of the late '90s, Living Colour actually had thought-provoking messages in their music -- racism, crooked landlords, the immortalization of celebrities/world leaders, etc.

-- as well as being superb musicians/songwriters.

The best known of the bunch -- "Cult of Personality," "Glamour Boys," "Funny Vibe," and "Type" -- are obvious standouts, but the lesser known are just as strong.

Living Colour was always about creating consistent albums from beginning to end, as such selections as the title track, "Time's Up," "Nothingness," "Solace of You," and "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" prove.

Add to it several previously unreleased outtakes -- "Release the Pressure," "Sacred Ground," "Visions," and a remix of "Love Rears Its Ugly Head" -- and you have a near-definitive Living Colour collection that will appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers.