I have emg-hz picks up, and do not find them muddy at all. I think your guitar, the wood that is used probably plays just as significant of a role. I use an old ampeg vh-140c head that is so god damn brutal. I almost want to sell it because it's so rough. If you want to play death metal get one of those. You could make an old persons heart stop.
emg's (81, etc) are notorious for almost completely overriding the natural sound of your guitar so wood means a lot less than with some other less over the top pickups probably
is that just some album cover in your sig (since i detect a logo of some sort in the top left corner) or are you cool enough to have a screen shot from Begotten?