Matt Heafy is the frontman of metal band Trivium. His signature Epiphone Les Paul is available in both 6 and 7 string models.

What is the main benefit of active pickups over passive ones?

The main selling point for active pickups is the signal to noise ratio. EMG pickups are massive sounding with a huge output but a very low noise floor. You can drive your guitar sounds hard without having large amounts of buzz and hum. Metal guitarists in particular love active pickups in their guitars.