Alnico 2 pickups for metal?

[xxxplorer]

The El Diablo is KILLER. Thick and crunchy. I use Jim Wagner (WCR) Ironmans. 22K. One of mine has an A2 in it.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

With the the right boost, any pickup can be used for metal, really.

This is something you hear a lot online, but virtually never by people who focus on heavy music. If we're talking early metal from the 70's and 80's, sure. If we're talking anything modern, or anything where you're apt to tune lower than Eb, I respectfully disagree. There's a reason the overwhelming majority of metal guitarists (most of the old guys who are still around included) use hot pickups.

If we're focusing on death metal like Rex mentioned, all of the classic stuff was a Super Distortion, X2N, or EMG 81. Fast forward and you'll see Karl from Nile using an Invader, Brandon from Black Dahlia using a PATB, Ben from Whitechapel with D Activators, and virtually everyone else using EMG, Fishman, or any of the boutique stuff like Guitarmory or BKP. Some guys like Misha from Periphery or Joe from Gojira use more mid-output stuff, but they're very much the exception.