The video was filmed in Guadalajara and in the dry lake of Sayula.
Mark Pellington reflected that he had frictions with Trent Reznor over the production and outcome of the music video.
The song was played in the teaser trailer for the 2012 film The Avengers and at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards during the film's win for "Movie of the Year".
It is the 15th official Nine Inch Nails release and is a single for the album The Fragile.
The lyrics seems to be inspired by David Bowie's song "'Heroes'" from the same-named 1977 album, such as with the line "You're the queen and I'm the king" and describing two people trying to fight against an ominous and seemingly unstoppable force.