"The Clouds of Northland Thunder" starts off with a wonderful track, "He Sleeps in a Grove", the first single off the album. Catchy and fast paced, it captivates the listener and presents the signature Amberian Dawn sound to him or her. Yes, it is very much in the vein of the band’s previous release, but still something new and exciting. It’s at least a good start to the album.

The next two songs, "Incubus" and "Kokko – Eagle of Fire" are both also very catchy and fast paced. After this, we hear the beautiful ballad "Willow of Tears". Heidi shows a wide range of singing styles on these songs. She has quite an enchanting voice which really lets you feel the emotion in the songs, especially on the aforementioned ballad.

The rest of the songs follow in the same vein. Some fast paced, with driving guitar solos and great keyboard work, others slow and emotional, almost atmospheric. They are, for the most part, equally good. Thankfully, this album does not suffer the folly of the last. While "River of Tuoni" sounded a little repetitive at times, the songs on "The Clouds of Northland Thunder" vary enough that the listener keeps his or her interest throughout the duration of the album. Heidi keeps the songs fresh with varying styles of singing, and the songs keep the listener captivated, if not with the music itself, then with the lyrics.

Amberian Dawn’s lyrics have always been interesting. The lyrics to these songs not only take a look at different mythologies, from Scandinavia to Russia and even to Egypt, but also seem to be deeply personal and emotional, conveying feelings of loss, loneliness, and at the same time joy and hope. The songs tell the stories of various mythological characters or of mortals in the world of myth. "Snowmaiden" tells of the ever-famous Russian story of Sengurochka, who is the daughter of Spring and Frost, and cannot feel true love. She then meets a shepherd named Lel, with whom she falls in love, and her body melts into a puddle of water. "Lionheart" tells the story of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, while "Shallow Waters" is a song about a boy who disappears into the kingdom of Ahti, ruler of the water and the beings that live in it.

Overall, "The Clouds of Northland Thunder" is a more mature album than its predecessor. Amberian Dawn has gained some more experience in the time between this album and "River in Tuoni", and have perfected the sound they had developed when they first started. With captivating vocals, instrumentals, and lyrics, this album will keep the attention any fan of this music for the approximately forty five minutes of its duration.

9 / 10