Judging from Stabbing Westward’s latest release, “Darkest Days,” the title is pretty accurate.Vocalist Christopher Hall, drummer Andrew Kubiszewski, keyboardist Walter Flakus, bassist Jim Sellers and guitarist Marcus Eliopoulus have moved away from the glossy sound of 1996’s “Wither, Blister, Burn and Peel” and from harmonies that at times had a frightening Def Leppard-like sound.Instead, the band has gone toward the sound on their 1994 release, “Ungod,” giving fans a more honest, slightly stripped-down set of 16 tracks. It gives the band members a chance to showcase their talents, especially the ability of Hall to capture the songs’ underlying emotions, which are usually dark. No surprise there.For example, when Hall sings, “I scratch and tear/until it bleeds/I do not want/I only need” in the despair-ridden “Everything I Touch I Break,” he sounds as if he’s truly disgusted with himself. Although the song starts off with echoing vocals and subtle music, the strong guitars in the chorus turn it into an all-out rock song.The first single, “Save Yourself,” shows a little more of Stabbing Westward’s electronic side with the band’s trademark keyboard and guitar sound. Despite lyrics like, “My life has been a nightmare/My soul is fractured to the bone/So if I must be lonely/I think I’d rather be alone,” most Stabbing Westward songs can’t help being kind of catchy. They can create moody songs about unrequited love, hopelessness and complete misery without completely depressing the listener.”Drowning” basically just features Hall and low keyboards, for a haunting, empty effect, creating a musical atmosphere of desolation and loneliness.”Goodbye” also falls on the softer end of the Stabbing Westward spectrum. The guitar and keyboards provide a perfect backdrop for lyrics like, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from life/It’s that it gets you in the end.”The title track starts off quietly, with a brooding bass line and a tinkly sound, almost like someone left wind chimes in the studio. But the beginning is just aural deception, revealed when the drums kick in and when the lyrics change from self-pitying exasperation to anger as Hall screams, “My rage … my pain/I hate my darkest days.”However, there is nothing for listeners to hate about “Darkest Days.” Moodier than Stabbing Westward’s two previous albums, the release shows increasing musical and lyrical maturity and keeps the band’s original sound intact.