The track opens with the kind of guitar flourish that immediately transports you to that golden hour on the Pacific Coast Highway—all sun-bleached chrome and endless possibilities. Davis has wisely surrounded himself with seasoned campaigners: Dennis Hill's vocals possess that weathered authenticity that only comes from years of honest rock toil, whilst the triple-guitar assault from Scott Shiflett (Eagles of Death Metal), Erik Ferentinos (Stephen Pearcy's Ratt), and Davis himself creates a wall of sound that's both muscular and melodically astute.

What strikes you most about "Death of Me" is its confidence—there's no apologetic nod to current trends or desperate grab for streaming algorithm approval. This is rock music made by rock musicians for rock fans, and it wears that badge with considerable pride. The rhythm section of Kevin Baldes (Lit) and Jimmy DeAnda (BulletBoys) provides the kind of thunderous foundation that makes you remember why rock music was invented in the first place: to make you feel alive.

The accompanying music video serves as a visual manifesto for Davis's rotating supergroup concept. Rather than falling into the usual performance-in-a-warehouse clichés, it captures the essence of what The Project represents—a celebration of rock's enduring power to unite disparate talents under one magnificent, noise-making banner.

Lyrically, the track doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel, but sometimes the wheel doesn't need reinventing—sometimes it just needs to be spun with renewed vigor. "Death of Me" is pure escapism, the kind of song that makes you want to roll the windows down and forget about mortality for four minutes.

The production strikes an admirable balance between polish and grit, capturing the energy of seasoned professionals who still remember why they picked up instruments in the first place. There's a warmth to the recording that suggests these aren't session musicians fulfilling contractual obligations, but genuine collaborators invested in creating something that matters.

Davis's concept of The Project as a "living, breathing collaboration" rather than a traditional band is intriguing, though it remains to be seen whether this approach will yield a coherent artistic vision or simply become a high-profile jam session. For now, "Death of Me" stands as compelling evidence that rock music's obituary has been greatly exaggerated.

In an era when rock music often feels either desperately seeking relevance or wallowing in nostalgia, The Project has managed to craft something that feels both timeless and immediate. "Death of Me" isn't trying to save rock music—it's simply reminding us why it never needed saving in the first place.

The real test will be whether Davis can maintain this level of quality and purpose as The Project's lineup inevitably shifts and evolves. But for now, "Death of Me" serves as a thrilling opening statement from a collective that understands rock's greatest strength: its ability to make everything else disappear, if only for the length of a song.

"Death of Me" is available on all major streaming platforms.