The song was written by band members Florence Welch and Isabella Summers while the production was handled by Paul Epworth.

Upon its release, the video received mixed to positive reviews by critics who praised the dramatic shots, the religion and voodoo references.

However, following its online release, several publications and users on various websites commented on the use of racism and racial imagery due to the black face of the voodoo man at the beginning, which Welch later denied.

[3] Welch further revealed that the intro of the song was written during the tour in Amsterdam, "We had gone out for Rob [Ackroyd]'s birthday to an all-night restaurant in Brussels called Midnights.

[12][13] According to Billboard magazine's Jillian Mapes, "A dramatic opening note on the... [song] ushers in a drum crescendo, followed by a 'Like a Prayer' - style interlude.

"[21] Clash magazine's Laura Foster called the song "uplifting" and "typically Florence-sounding" further putting it in her list of "six massive anthems" on Ceremonials.

'"[4] In his review of Ceremonials, Jillian Mapes of Billboard wrote "'I'd do anything to make you stay / Tell me what you want me to say,' she pleads atop the album's most pulsating tribal drumbeat.

"[23] In a review of the album, Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian commented, "A wonky piano, a choir and the return of the harp, as well as more Phil Collins-ey drums, in the tale of what appears to be a humdinger of a domestic – 'Kiss with a Fist', but more grown-up, and colder.

"[24] In the review of the album, Lewis Corner of the website Digital Spy said that the song "manages to sound knee-quiveringly epic".

[25] Luren Murphy of The Irish Times reviewed the song positively saying that it's "providing the huge choruses and skyscraping vocals we’ve come to expect of Florence and the Machine".

[26] However, Eoin Butler of the same publication rated the song with two out of five stars commenting, "Like most of Florence's recent singles, this bombastic effort sounds as though it was intended to be enjoyed not on an iPod or CD player but rather sitting in Row 198 in the local EnormoDome.

Florence Welch's rich voice has never sounded better than on this track; her fervent, even rapturous, lamentations about her partner's lost love resonate like requests for salvation made by a faltering believer with arms raised to the sky.

[33] It eventually peaked at number 50 for the week ending 3 March 2012 following the band's performance at the 2012 BRIT Awards, selling 6,909 copies.

Marc Hogan of Spin concluded that the video, "touches on the fine line between spiritual ecstasy and reckless abandon.

In addition to contrasting overtly Christian iconography with images of some kind of voodoo priest, the harrowing climax is paired with footage of Florence Welch falling from the top of a skyscraper.

No Light"] just got a suitably opulent video, which is full of religious imagery, Florence perched atop a building in Manhattan, and a strange masked figure.

"[47] Eoin Butler of The Irish Times praised the boys dressed as priests comparing the scenes with a Catholic version of 1976 film Bugsy Malone.

[27] Following the online release of the video, several publications and users on various websites commented on the use of racism and racial imagery due to the black face of the voodoo man at the beginning.

[20][40][48][49] During an interview with MTV News, when asked by James Montgomery if she was a part of the Illuminati as online accusations claim, Welch responded, "That's ridiculous.

"[56] They performed the song at the 2012 BRIT Awards at The O2 Arena in London backed by twenty dancers dressed in a white and gold gown.

[60] However, Andy Gill of The Independent was more negative about the performance saying that "Florence brought along her Machine, but... forgot to pack a decent tune with them.

"[61] On 23 April 2012, the band performed the song on the second season of the show The Voice while being backed by the group mentored by Cee Lo Green.

[64] The song's Spector Ryan Gosling remix was featured in The CW series The Secret Circle,[65] at the end of the sixteenth episode ("Lucky").

The original version was also prominently featured at the end of the sixteenth episode ("Rest in Pieces") of the tenth season of the CBS series CSI: Miami.

[66] The song was used in the Fox series The Mob Doctor, in the fourth-season finale of Syfy's Warehouse 13 and in promotional commercials for NBC's Revolution.