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

They were a three piece group consisting of lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist David Von Ohlerking, bassist and vocalist Monty Colvin, and drummer and vocalist Alan Doss. They released one album, the eponymously titled The Awful Truth. 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.

According to Colvin, Metal Blade Records signed the band after they had already broken up in 1989. 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.