Progressive Metal
Houston, Texas, USA

The Awful Truth were a progressive metal band from the late 1980s based in Houston, Texas, United States formed by David Ohlerking.

Ohlerking's connection to the Sam Taylor / Houston, Texas scene started before he moved to Texas. Ohlerking met Dug Pinnick as a child when Pinnick's choir The Spurlows sung at Ohlerking's church. Later on, the two met again when Ohlerking was a senior in High school in Springfield, Missouri, and Pinnick was Phil Keaggy's bass player. Ohlerking followed Pinnick to Texas and lived next door to Pinnick and above Ty Tabor. Ohlerking would borrow his bass to write songs and credits Pinnick with teaching him most of what he learned about singing and songwriting. Ohlerking was also at Pinick's house when Kansas (the band) called to offer Pinnick a spot to replace Steve Walsh. However, Pinnick had just started The Edge so he declined.

The Awful Trutg was a three piece group consisting of lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist Ohlerking, bassist and vocalist Monty Colvin, and drummer and vocalist Alan Doss. After the band split, Colvin and Doss formed the Galactic Cowboys. Ohlerking went on to front a number of bands including In The Garden, From Now On, and more.

According to producer/manager Sam Taylor, Ohlerking named the band after the old 1937 movie of the same name.

Metal Blade Records signed the band after they had already broken up. Metal Blade Records took a number of the band's demos, mastered them and released them as what would then be The Awful Truth's one and only full-length album - the eponymously titled The Awful Truth.

1987 Independent

David Von Ohlerking - Lead vocals, guitar
Monty Colvin - Bass, vocals
Alan Doss - Drums, vocals

1. It Takes So Long
2. Mary
3. My Own 2 Hands

1988? Independent

David Von Ohlerking - Lead vocals, guitar
Monty Colvin - Bass, vocals
Alan Doss - Drums, vocals

1. It Takes So Long
2. Circle
3. I Should Have Known
4. Higher

1989 Metal Blade Records (7 73432-4)
2024 Brutal Planet Records (BPCD1665)

David Von Ohlerking - Lead vocals, guitar
Monty Colvin - Bass, vocals
Alan Doss - Drums, vocals

Jack van Skilling - Zither
Tom Mason - Dulcimer
Brandon Shea - Maracas, yodeling

1. It Takes So Long (5:46)
2. Circle (5:18)
3. I Should Have Known (7:32)
4. Higher (7:17)
5. Ghost of Heaven (4:41)
6. No Good Reason (6:16)
7. Drowning Man (5:56)
8. Mary (5:31)