I'll start things with the Storm Hy-Road.  It uses the proven R2S hybrid cover and the Inverted Fe2 symmetrical core.  OOB finish is 1500 polished and it works on medium to medium-heavy patterns. 

This ball just recently celebrated its 4th birthday.  Every time Storm tries to discontinue it, there is nothing that can truly replace how much of a benchmark type ball it is.  It's just that good with all types of styles and is very predictable.  I've had my Hy-Road for about a year now and I'm really glad I bought it.  It bailed me out on a tougher 43 ft shot last night.

I know for certain its time to update my equipment and I'm in great need of a truly reliable benchmark. How is that hy road? Is it really as good as people say? I was going to get a storm tropical heat indigo if possible. But I'm worried storm will retire the hy road if I wait too long. My frantic can hold its own on a broken down pattern after shooting another 260+ game with it. But shooting score with it on a fresh shot is impossible with a mild layout bowling ball. Lastly what is more beneficial? A vg nano, lucid, sync, defiant, etc as a super hooking bowling ball? I want the hardest arc off the end of a pattern even if that means a double thumbed symmetric. By the way, with storm retiring the heat solid and roto grip terminating the shooting star, what will replace the low end solids? Thanks in advance for the great piece of advice I know I am going to receive!

The Frantic actually uses the exact same hybrid cover that's found on the Hy-Road.  That being said, the Hy-Road is going to be a bit stronger, as it should due to the different symmetrical core.  The Hy-Road is one of those benchmark pieces that is special.  On Medium shots, it's a house killer.  Drill it slightly stronger and it will work on some medium-heavy patterns as well.  If you like your Frantic, think of the Hy-Road as a stronger version of that.

On the fresh, it depends on the volume and your game.  If you are speed dominant and bowl on the flood, then you will want to look at a Nano, Vivid, or the Roto Grip Defiant.  Those 3 balls will be among the strongest that you can buy.  The Storm Sync coming out is going to be even stronger than all of those and has more of a midlane continuous motion compared to the backend type motion of the Nano.

I've thrown both the Nano and the Defiant.  I personally prefer the Defiant since it has more of a hard arc motion compared to the Nano, which is more angular.  Either one though will easily handle heavy volume.  One person throws the Vivid in our house and it also does a good job, being just slightly weaker than the Nano or Defiant.

If you are more rev dominant or throw slower speed, the Marvel Pearl or Lucid can work out well.  There not as strong as the others mentioned but do fit those styles pretty well.

For lower end solids, you can probably still find the Shooting Star as it was just discontinued recently.  I know the shop I buy from still has the Critical Theory available and that was discontinued around the same time.  Your best bet may be to check the online pro shops.  But I haven't really heard of any lower end solids coming out at this point.