Yep! Just got it last week. I actually went through all of Coheed's albums in story chronological order, even though that probably didn't matter because I don't understand a lot of what goes on in the story, so this completes my journey (I got TCBTS a while ago). I'd say it's a satisfying conclusion.
How would you rate the albums? I for one really didn't enjoy TCBTS at all.
Also I still don't undestand the story even though I've heard all of the albums many times. I'm not a fan of comics so I guess it wont happen.
I've pretty much figured out the Afterman story and much of the GA1 story with a lot of help from the internet, but everywhere else I'm pretty much lost.
I like
The Color Before the Sun pretty well, actually! It's very non-proggy, but I thought it was a pretty good album of radio friendly stuff. Particularly like Colors, Here to Mars and Peace to the Mountain.
My album ranking would probably be (and keep in mind that I've heard GA2 and YotBR only twice each, while I've heard both Afterman albums a ton, so this is very subject to change):
1.
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 32.
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness3.
The Afterman: Descension4.
The Afterman: Ascension5.
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow6.
The Color Before the Sun7.
The Second Stage Turbine Blade8.
Year of the Black RainbowI really didn't find much to like at all in YOTBR. I need to listen to it more (especially since I like all their other albums), but it just seemed pretty bland compared to their other stuff. My overall disappointment with that album on the first two listens led me to get SSTB, IKSOSE:3 and GA1 more quickly than I originally planned, and that kind of left YOTBR sitting on the shelf.