A lot of what you end up liking about pickups does come from the techniques you use and your playing style...your actual needs out of a pickup is usually a question only you can answer...but i'll give my 2 cents
When I play metal stuff my preference for a riffing guitar is a SC594 with the 58/15LTs, i also use my CU24 floyd with the metal pickups for stuff that requires a floyd. Night and day difference between the two guitars/pickups the 58/15s are fatter rounder darker and the lower output ends up translating into picking clarity for me on the 594, i have no trouble getting the output needed. The metal pickups are brighter and have more sizzle, totally different, and i'm sure you have experience with the awesomeness of those. Amps i use for high gain situations are either a Diezel VH2 or an ENGL powerball 2 for reference.