The Anarchy and the Ecstasy is an album released by the World/Inferno Friendship Society on March 15, 2011. It is their fifth full-length album. Three members left the group between the previous release and Anarchy.

Before the album's release, many demos were available online. Jack Terricloth commented, "I couldn't care less about the demos. Songs want to be free. Songs want you to whistle them!" Musically, this album is more eclectic than most of their previous work, with significant bluegrass influence.

The lead singer, Jack Terricloth, claimed the title of the album was taken from a William Butler Yeats poem, but did not identify which one.