GREAT WHITE Drummer On 'Elation' Album: 'This Is A New Birth Of The Band'

GREAT WHITE — Mark Kendall (lead guitar),Scott Snyder (bass),Audie Desbrow (drums),Michael Lardie (guitar, keyboards) and Terry Ilous (lead vocals) — will release its new studio album, "Elation", in Europe on May 18 and in North America on May 22 via Frontiers Records. The 12-song CD will mark GREAT WHITE's first effort with Ilous following the band's split with founding singer Jack Russell.

"This is a new birth of the band," Desbrow says. "I wanted to call the album 'Tabula Rasa', which means rebirth, but we went for 'Elation' because of the euphoria in the atmosphere. It's a fresh and healthier start than ever before. I'm like a kid in a candy store."

Kendall, one of rock's most notable guitarists, echoed Desbrow's pure excitement. "The energy in the studio is amazing," Kendall says. "This is the most excited I've been since I was nine years old and got my first guitar. It's remarkable to be doing our third record with Frontiers Records and to feel the love and support from Serafino and his team. They are truly part of the GREAT WHITE family."

Lardie, who also served as "Elation"'s producer, applauded the band's teamwork in the studio. He was struck by the group's songwriting approach and enthusiasm, and is certain that fans will embrace the record.

"The difference in this studio experience was simple," he says. "Everyone was completely present and contributed to the making of this album. As a producer, I feel my part is to get the best out of each of us and I got better than anyone's best!"

"Elation" track listing:

01. (I've Got) Something For You
02. Feelin' So Much Better
03. Love Train
04. Heart Of A Man
05. Hard To Say Goodbye
06. Resolution
07. Shotgun Willie's
08. Promise Land
09. Lowdown (bonus track)
10. Just For Tonight
11. Love Is Enough
12. Complicated

This version of GREAT WHITE is not to be confused with JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE, which features Russell alongside Robby Lochner (FIGHT) on guitar, Matthew Johnson (DOCTOR M, JACK RUSSELL) on guitar, Dario Seixas (FIREHOUSE, STEPHEN PEARCY) on bass and Derrick Pontier (GREAT WHITE, SAMANTHA 7) on drums.

Kendall, Snyder, Desbrow, Lardie and Ilousissued a statement in December in which they claimed that Jack Russell's "frail body" and "drug abuse" prohibited him from taking part in the band's performances for the past year. They additionally revealed that Jack had undergone "five major surgeries" after his drug abuse got so bad that "his body began to shut down and ultimately resulted in colostomy surgery from a perforated bowel." In the statement, GREAT WHITE also insisted that Russell "does not have the right to start his own GREAT WHITE or use the name without our names in the lineup."

GREAT WHITE's last studio album, "Rising" (featuring Russell on lead vocals),was released in North America in April 2009 via Shrapnel Records. The CD was issued in Europe in March 2009 through Frontiers Records.