Ballbreaker was produced by Rick Rubin and released in September 1995, marking AC/DC's first studio album in five years following The Razors Edge. The album was recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, with Mike Fraser serving as the primary recording and mixing engineer, a role he had also fulfilled on the band's previous album. Rick Rubin sought to capture a raw, stripped-down, blues-based hard rock sound reminiscent of the band's classic Bon Scott-era recordings, moving away from the more polished production of their late 1980s work. The sessions were notable for emphasizing live-in-the-studio performances to achieve a more natural and powerful sound, with minimal overdubs and a focus on the band's core guitar-driven energy. Drummer Chris Slade, who had played on The Razors Edge, was replaced during the sessions by returning original drummer Phil Rudd, whose looser, groove-oriented style was considered essential to achieving the desired vintage feel.
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EastWest — 7559-61780-2
Original European first pressing CD with the George Marino mastering; frequently cited alongside the US and Australian first pressings as one of the best-sounding CD versions of Ballbreaker.