The album was the third and final produced for the band by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The name of the album was inspired by a book Angus Young read, entitled For Those About To Die, We Salute You, about Roman gladiators. The gladiators' final words to the emperor were "Ave Caesar morituri te salutant" - or, "Hail Caesar, we who are about to die, salute you." The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.