1985 saw more personnel changes as sprague hollander replaced original guitarist phil gammage. in france, i.a.s. records released the band's next recording project prior to its completion, in fear that they would lose the group to a major label. this "bootleg" would become the infamous "these are the days" and would still somehow win great praise from the press despite the glaring inconsistencies of an unfinished work. regarding "days", steve mirkin wrote "filled with a dark confidence and narcotic allure ... with a charged confidence and kamikaze edge."