SHARONE is a band out of Denver, Colorado formed in 2014. "Morbid Illusion"is their third full-length record, which released through Devil Inside Records on May 28, 2021. SHARONE is a hard rock/metal project with symphonic elements and a dark, cinematic feel.

The record starts with the heavier "Left In The Dark," a song that immediately goes for the throat with a deep, rich guitar tone and some lighter keyboards for a nice offset sound. The chorus has a different sound and tempo. The only real thing I notice is the shift is a little rough, not as smooth as I would like. Despite that, there are some good transitions here in other areas.

"Fade Away" is more of a Hard Rock, radio friendly kind of song. It feels more anthemic and ready for the stage. This song could lead off or wrap up the show equally well. The song has a chantable chorus and a really good rhythm. The drum work is quite well done. The bass holds up well and really paces the song nicely.

Next, we have another heavier guitar riff in "Can We Pretend". This is another song that feels like it is dealing with relationships, here trying to make it feel like everything is okay, even when it is not. "Pinup Doll" then uses more of a techno keyboard type intro before the guitars drive in and the rhythm develops. This seems to be about painting a face on and being what is expected.

Moving down to "Project," the song feels more like hard rock with the keyboard tones. The rhythm is more variable than some of the other songs, less straight-forward in the pattern. The guitars are really nice. This is an early favorite on the record. Sharone spends more time in her chest voice with fewer trips to head voice and her higher ranges. While her work in both vocal regions is good, this song works well because she fits tone to texture better here.

"Diamond" is the ballad. The higher range guitar work is pretty cool and fits better with the feel of the song. This song leans a little more into the head voice range for vocals. Wrapping the record up is a melodic track, "Dying Out". It is a darker sounding song that would be a ballad were it not deeper in tone.

SHARONE, looking at the band, seems like it would have a combination of clean of harsh vocals, but the darkness is more overall aesthetic than musical direction. The songs tend towards a more ethereal, symphonic sound. Parts feel very much like a soundtrack, giving it a very cinematic theme. The layers of sound, both with the instruments and the vocals give the record a lot of depth.

There is a bit more of a hard rock sound on this record than heavy metal. It has some real nice heaviness at times, using the instruments to really power through the songs. The musicians are really good and the compositions show a lot of promise. Some of the transitions are spot on, others feel a little off kilter. In general, the shifts are well executed. This is a band that can, and likely will, continue to grow and better their craft, becoming a major force in American Hard Rock music.