Usually I can tell within a few frames how something is going to work for me or predict how it will behave on a given condition. I've thrown RevMonster (its new nickname) now on several conditions and it's still a mystery, so all I can do is report my observations. It's very condition-specific for me. When it's good, it's fantastic; when it's bad, it's awful. Be sure you match up before you buy.
15.3, 1:30 layout, pin above and right of ring. It wants to arc hard and it needs to conserve as much energy as possible. If you were to fight this tendency, you'd probably ruin the ball. RevMaster is so core-dominant, it feels like the mild coverstock is just along for the ride.
It's pretty long, arcing, revs hard off your hand. It's not big hooker, but the core is so strong it can handle a fair amount of oil. As an example, my home house has been experimenting with new oil patterns, and several of us have been guinea pigs the last couple of weeks. They were all in the range of 37 - 41', generally fairly heavy. It flamed out on the lighter patterns regardless of their length. The heavier shots were something I'd ordinarily throw particle on, yet I was comfortable opening them up with RevMaster. _When_ (emphasis on the conditional) I could get lined up with it, it was extremely effective up the boards or in a small swing and carried great.
The big problem is that longer/heavier patterns are going to make bad carrydown, and RevMaster doesn't like carrydown at all. So it's good for a game or two to open up a heavier shot but then it must be put away immediately after that first carrydown bucket, 2-10, flat 10, whatever your signal is.
Next, I threw it on my most straightforward, highest-scoring house shot on Anvilane synthetics and it burned up hopelessly early in the stripped backends. It took only a few balls to know that it will never be any use here. On this condition, strokers and low speeds should probably stay away entirely. I think the higher rev crankers and power tweeners with enough speed to keep it stable will like the 'straining at the leash' feeling.
RevMonster won't make it into my bag for a normal league shot. I think it's going to be excellent on my heavier weekend shot. I amused myself endlessly torquing the nuts off it on a lot of oil. I had 2 - 3 boards of area at the breakpoint and felt like I could be very free-swinging with it.
My feeling is that it's intended to be a resin for long and/or heavier oil. I vastly preferred it on wood. If you have something like that 50' shot from the TOC the other week, RevMaster could be just about ideal.
On its favored condition, it was an awesome hitter. The deck jolted down as a single unit. I had no problems getting out the corners on oil. Part of it is the ball, but another part is the speed and release it let me play. One odd note - I left too many solid 9s for coincidence.
Overall, a 7. In good conscience, I have to conclude that this is a specialized arsenal ball, not a general-purpose tool. The only generality I can draw about it is that it needs good heads, pretty much oil, clean backends and some speed and then it might work for you.
Control: 7. Lots of area at the breakpoint. More stable than you'd think a 'racing slicks on a rail car' ball would be. At its best, it's the closest thing I've found yet to the feeling I used to get from the ancient Critical Mass, of having the ball on a string. At its worst, over/under and unusable.
Versatility: 5. I don't think it's a good choice for the average bowler on an average league shot at all. You need medium or heavier, you need some speed and you want to keep it in the oil as much as possible. I happen to have a shot for it, but not everybody will. If you're a cranker on a longer/heavier pattern, this is your ball.
Hit and carry: 8.5. On its condition, an incredible hitter; off its condition, a big Sta-Puft marshmallow.
