Dark White Light, Why Did Johnny Kill

On their Facebook page, Dark White Light describes its sound as “monolithic,” and that’s pretty damn accurate. Their brand of hard rock is as heavy as marble, and imposing enough to inspire mental images of that mysterious obsidian pillar that towered over everything in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. This hardworking trio is one of those rare Spokane bands who haven’t called it quits after just a few years: They’ve been playing around since 2011 or so, attracting fans who like their music loud and proficient, and their presence has been a huge benefit to the local scene. The band released its self-titled debut album, funded through Kickstarter, at a party at the Observatory back in January. They’ll be back there again nearly two years later this weekend; here’s hoping for a follow-up record sometime soon.