erlangs parse transforms are indeed just as powerful but no where near as easy to use. They allow you to modify your source file in pretty much the same way but the ast you are modifying is way more complicated than lisps and much more difficult to properly modify.

If Lisps macros are difficult for the average user to learn then Erlangs Parse Transforms are even more so and a much larger barrier to usage than lisps. It's rare for an erlang developer to reach for a Parse Transform it's rare for a lisp developer not to reach for one.