- Charcoal Executioner

First Impressions
Released in October 2001, the Visionary Charcoal Executioner comes in a plain but striking gray and anthracite look. Inside this model works the asymmetric Executioner core, which at a reference weight of 15 pounds shows a 2.540 RG and a 0.045 differential. This technical combination provides steady, easily readable energy release throughout the entire ball path. The coverstock is a pure solid reactive blend, finished out of the box with an extremely coarse 400 matte surface. Because of this heavily abraded surface, the ball is primarily designed to cut effortlessly through large amounts of oil in the heads and to build reliable traction very early on the lane. The basic construction aims to give the bowler maximum control on heavily oiled lanes without producing an unpredictable or jumpy reaction at the end of the oil pattern. The manufacturer positions this model as a rugged workhorse for heavy oil that should guarantee a smooth, powerful move toward the pocket rather than relying on an overly pronounced backend.
Comparison Within the Executioner line itself, the Charcoal Executioner is the option for the deepest oil. Compared to the later Visionary Purple Ice Executioner, which uses particles in the cover, the pure solid shell of the Charcoal model engages the oil pattern even earlier and more steadily, which makes it a natural fit for longer patterns. Drawing comparisons to models from other manufacturers, the ball motion strongly recalls balls like the Storm El Nino Solid or the Brunswick Danger Zone. In a direct comparison with the Storm El Nino Solid, the Visionary Charcoal Executioner offers a marginally more pronounced arc at the breakpoint thanks to its asymmetric core, while retaining similarly strong control through the first boards of the lane. Against high-gloss polished pearl balls that are explicitly built for plenty of length and a sudden change of direction, this ball creates a considerably smoother and more continuous hook. It does not wait to react abruptly to the dry; instead it stabilizes its path already in the deep oil and effectively evens out inconsistent lane conditions.
On the Lanes The Visionary Charcoal Executioner was developed specifically for oily conditions and long oil patterns. On a fresh house shot or a particularly demanding tournament pattern, the matte cover reliably keeps the ball from sliding too far and missing the pocket. If you have a fairly high ball speed or play on lane surfaces with naturally low friction, you'll benefit greatly from this model's early traction. However, once the lanes go through transition from continuous play and the front part of the lane becomes noticeably drier, the extremely coarse surface can quickly cost too much energy. In those situations the ball tends to burn up prematurely and lack the necessary carry at the pin deck, because the rotational energy has already been spent in the front third of the lane. For play on heavy carrydown, when the oil has been pushed far into the backend, the ball is on the other hand excellently suited. It is barely deflected by oily spots at the breakpoint and keeps its predictable curve. It absolutely needs sufficient oil in the heads, but under the right circumstances it rewards the bowler with a massive and extremely forgiving ball motion that delivers the desired hook steadily and without nasty surprises.