Written by Macomber and produced by Ford, the song was released in September 2013 as the second single from the duo's debut studio album Dominae (2013).

"[9] In a Pitchfork Media review, Jerry Gordan said the chorus, "This warm heart's afraid of the dark/ Never gonna stop, I’m never going to conquer", might be the lyrical thesis of Dominae.

In her review for Hillydilly, Annie Stevens called it "another strong offering" from Ejecta which "makes for a catchy pop gem that will undoubtedly get people listening.

"[2] Clash's Robin Murray called it "another sign of the direction the pair are heading in, with Leanne Macomber adding shards of light to Joel Ford's synth-noir production.

"[20] "Afraid of the Dark" was played in "Death and the Maiden", the seventh episode of the fifth season of the American supernatural drama television series The Vampire Diaries.

"[22] On September 12, 2014, Ejecta performed "Afraid of the Dark" at the fourth annual Gorilla vs. Bear festival at the Granada Theater in Dallas, Texas.